scut

¹

[ skuht ]

noun

1. a short tail, especially that of a hare, rabbit, or deer.

scut

²

[ skuht ]

noun

, Slang.

1. a worthless, contemptible person.

scut

/ skʌt /

noun

1. the short tail of animals such as the deer and rabbit

Word History and Origins

Origin of scut¹

1400–50; late Middle English: hare < Old Norse skutr stern

Origin of scut²

1870–75; origin uncertain; perhaps continuation of Scots and dial. scout, scoot, Middle English scoute in same sense; perhaps noun use of Scots scout to spurt, squirt out, scoot

Word History and Origins

Origin of scut¹

C15: probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse skutr end of a vessel, Icelandic skott tail

Example Sentences

But it becomes a problem when colleagues regularly have to take on someone else’s scut work or put more thought into fixing a work product than was put into creating it.

From Washington Post

There’s also a very practical reason for clambering up and down mountains, or doing anything arduous and unglamorous, what PIH-ers called “scut work.”

From Literature

Normally, the vice president gets the scut work, like, say, going to Lorain, Ohio, to talk about the infrastructure law.

From Washington Times

The Senate twice used special trial committees in the late 1980s to handle the scut work of impeachments of federal judges, procedures that were upheld by the Supreme Court.

From Washington Post

“It’s not as easy as people think. The boring stuff matters — the scut work of supply chain and logistics and management is crucial.”

From New York Times