Scuttle
Hey, what's the scuttlebutt on the relationship between SCUTTLE and SCUTTLEBUTT?
Scuttle, the meaning I want to cover today, basically means to ruin or destroy. If you scuttle someone’s plans, then you ruin them—they can’t carry their plans out.
Origins of the Word Scuttlebutt
I got curious about why scuttlebutt means gossip, since scuttle means wreck, and not surprisingly, the words have nautical roots. An older meaning of scuttle is cut a hole in the bottom, and a butt is a cask. So the word scuttlebutt came to refer to the cask of water on a ship. Sailors would stand around their version of the modern water cooler and chitchat. It’s interesting to compare the word scuttlebutt with trivia, which arose from the practice of travelers making small talk at intersections.
Scuttle has a lot of meanings, more than what I can cover here. Please check out the Wiktionary entry on SCUTTLE to learn more.
📚️ Definition of Scuttle
Scuttle (verb): to deliberately sink a ship by making holes in the bottom or to deliberately ruin or destroy a plan, agreement, or opportunity. Example: decided to scuttle his own ship rather than let it fall into enemy hands.
🗣️ Pronunciation of Scuttle
IPA: /ˈskʌ.təl/ (See IPA key)
Respelling: SKUH-tuhl
📰 Examples of Scuttle
Here are some examples of the word scuttle:
The prime minister’s leaked text messages threatened to scuttle the entire peace talks.
In 1919, German naval officers chose to scuttle 52 ships of their own fleet at Scapa Flow rather than surrender them.
The captain scuttled the ship before the enemy could board.
🎓️ If You’re Applying to College
College admissions keeps changing—and most families don’t realize how much until it’s too late.
On February 1, 2026, my colleague Dominique Padurano, PhD, president of Crimson Coaching, will be joined by fellow Harvard alum Wendy Chang for a free, live, open-ended webinar on the current admissions landscape. No scripts, no canned advice. Just a clear look at what matters now and honest advice.
If you or your child are applying in the next cycle, don’t skip this. You’ll be able to ask questions and hear directly from two senior experts.
Click here to register for free on Zoom: Zoom registration link
