scuttling

scuttling — verb

1. to move your feet rapidly in short, quick steps while hurrying somewhere, usuall

1.動詞不及物B1
釋義

to move your feet rapidly in short, quick steps while hurrying somewhere, usually because you are frightened or need to reach a safe place

例句

A small crab scuttled across the sand and disappeared into a hole.

scuttle + across + [surface]

The frightened children scuttled back inside when they heard the thunder.

scuttle + back inside (direction adverb)

同義詞
  • scurry

    lighter and faster than scuttle; often used for small animals moving busily

  • scamper

    playful or energetic quick movement, especially of children or small animals

  • dart

    a single sudden fast movement in a particular direction, not sustained running

反義詞
  • saunter

    to walk slowly and in a relaxed way

  • stroll

    to walk in a slow, leisurely manner

文法句型

scuttle + adv/prep (across/along/away/back/behind/into/out of)

用法筆記

Usually followed by a preposition or adverb (across, along, away, back, behind, into, out of, under) that shows direction. The subject is typically a small creature (crab, mouse, insect) or a person moving in a hurried, nervous way.

常見錯誤

❌The dog scuttled across the park.
✅The dog ran across the park.
💡'scuttle' suggests short, quick steps; large animals with long strides use 'run' instead.
❌He scuttled to answer the phone.
✅He hurried to answer the phone.
💡'scuttle' implies nervous or fearful movement, not ordinary hurry.

2. to cause a ship to go down to the bottom of the sea on purpose, especially to pr

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to cause a ship to go down to the bottom of the sea on purpose, especially to prevent an enemy from capturing it

例句

The captain ordered the crew to scuttle the ship rather than let the pirates take it.

scuttle + [ship] + reason clause

To stop the enemy from using it, the navy scuttled the damaged warship.

passive purpose: 'to …' + scuttle + [vessel]

同義詞
  • sink

    a general term for going under water; does not imply intention

  • submerge

    formal term; not specific to destroying a ship

文法句型

scuttle + noun phrase (a ship / a vessel / a boat)

用法筆記

Common in historical or military contexts about naval battles. The passive form 'be scuttled' is frequent when the person who did the sinking is unknown or unimportant.

常見錯誤

❌The storm scuttled the ship.
✅The storm sank the ship.
💡'scuttle' always means deliberate, intentional sinking by people, not by weather or accident.

3. to deliberately cause a plan, agreement, or process to fail or come to an end

3.動詞及物B2
釋義

to deliberately cause a plan, agreement, or process to fail or come to an end

例句

Budget cuts scuttled the school's plans to build a new science laboratory.

scuttle + [plans] — budget/funding context

The disagreement between the leaders scuttled any hope of reaching a peace deal.

scuttle + [hope] + of + [gerund]

同義詞
  • sabotage

    implies intentional destructive action from within, often secretly

  • thwart

    focuses on preventing someone from achieving a goal; can be deliberate or circumstantial

  • derail

    metaphor similar to scuttle; often used for careers, negotiations, or plans

反義詞
  • facilitate

    to make a process easier or more likely to succeed

  • advance

    to help a plan move forward

文法句型

scuttle + noun phrase (plan / project / hopes / chances / negotiations)

用法筆記

Often used in news reporting and formal writing about business, politics, or sports. The subject can be a person, an event, or a situation. Unlike 'ruin' or 'destroy', 'scuttle' implies a deliberate or decisive act that ends something completely, not gradual damage.

常見錯誤

❌Bad weather scuttled our picnic.
✅Bad weather ruined our picnic.
💡'scuttle' is too strong and formal for everyday inconveniences; use 'ruin' or 'spoil'.
❌The company scuttled the old computer system.
✅The company scrapped the old computer system.
💡'scuttle' is for plans/projects/agreements, not physical objects.