English Explanatory Dictionary

skedaddle

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To move or run away quickly.
  2. To spill; to scatter.
noun
  1. The act of running away; a scurrying off.

Pronunciation

/skɪˈdædəl/ en-us-skedaddle.ogg en-au-skedaddle.ogg

Word forms

skedaddle skedaddles skedaddling skedaddled

Etymology

First use appears c. 1861, in the New York Tribune. The word appeared and gained prominence in Civil War military contexts around 1861, and rapidly passing into more general use. Possibly an alteration of British dialect scaddle (“to run off in a fright”), from the adjective scaddle (“wild, timid, skittish”), from Middle English scathel, skadylle (“harmful, fierce, wild”), perhaps of North Germanic/Scandinavian origin, from Old Norse *sköþull; or from Old English *scaþol, *sceaþol (see scathel); akin to Old Norse skaði (“harm”). Possibly related to the Ancient Greek σκέδασις (skédasis, “scattering”), σκεδασμός (skedasmós, “dispersion”). Possibly related to scud or scat. It is possibly a corruption of "Let's get outa here".

Synonyms

flee get lost hightail kick rocks make tracks scat skidoo skitter take off vamoose rush beat feet

Derived words

skedaddler
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