Skedaddle

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Dr. Goodword
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Skedaddle

Postby Dr. Goodword » Tue Jun 17, 2014 10:37 pm

• skedaddle •

Pronunciation: skê-dæd-êl • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Verb, intransitive

Meaning: (US humorous slang) To run away very hurriedly, to scoot away rapidly.

Notes: In some areas of the US South, the accent is placed on the initial syllable of this word [skee-dæd-êl]. However, this pronunciation today is a bit silly since it implies an outdated southwestern rural accent. Skedaddle is a lexical orphan; no one has dared create a derivation of this vocabulary eccentricity.

In Play: Remember that this word is not only slang, but a peculiar regional slang word at that. You would be more likely to hear this down south in the US: "The kids all skedaddled when they saw you driving up. I think they thought that, since it is Saturday, you would give them all chores." Like the verb go, this verb is intransitive, which means you cannot skedaddle anything, not even a cowboy: "The fox skedaddled out of the henhouse when cowboy Bob came in to gather the eggs."

Word History: This US lexical peculiarity arose during the Civil War. It is a playful distortion of scuttle, which meant "to run away hastily". The earlier form of this word is scuddle, an emphatic form of the rather poetic verb scud, as in clouds scudding along the horizon. Scud may be a variant of scut "rabbit's tail", given English similes like "quick as a rabbit" and "run like a rabbit". However, it is more probably a variant of an Old Norse word for "shoot" along the lines of Modern Norwegian skudd "shot", or a derivation of a related word in Old English sceotan "to shoot".
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David McWethy
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Re: Skedaddle

Postby David McWethy » Wed Jun 18, 2014 9:07 am

I never thought the day would come when I’d cite my son as the source of this knowledge gem:
that the currently in-vogue expression for the need to “beat feet” (presumably to “pound the pavement”--usually due to an effort to catch up on the progress of a project or task (due to an implied element of procrastination) that’s fallen seriously behind is to “go” or “do” a “lesbo”—presumably a play on words on lesbianism’s practice of doing something “lickety split”.

And this from the same fine folks at http://www.urbandictioary.com, who brought you “phat” as a fresh alternative to it being something that’s quite the “cat’s meow”; and “Well, that’s gay!” as an acceptable alternative to “Well, that certainly sucks!”.
"The time has come," the Walrus said, "to talk of many things...."

Philip Hudson
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Re: Skedaddle

Postby Philip Hudson » Fri Jun 20, 2014 2:47 am

So, David, are you trying to gross us out with adolescent humor? :oops:
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.

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David McWethy
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Re: Skedaddle

Postby David McWethy » Fri Jun 20, 2014 12:10 pm

Rest assured that I wouldn't intentionally offend for the world; one problem I constantly have to confront is the likelihood that something I say or write in jest is taken seriously, with good people too often reacting accordingly. On the other hand, things that I take very seriously (such as marriage vows), have been treated (by at least three persons, anyway) as if they were jokes.

I assumed (obviously incorrectly) that the preface
I never thought the day would come when I’d cite my son as the source...

would sufficiently warn the reader that what followed would be of dubious worth.

In retrospect, during one of my saner moments I wouldn't have posted the remarks (and wouldn't now feel the need to write this one).
"The time has come," the Walrus said, "to talk of many things...."

Perry Lassiter
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Re: Skedaddle

Postby Perry Lassiter » Fri Jun 20, 2014 1:56 pm

Please avoid saner moments. I rather enjoy the company in second adolescence!
pl

Philip Hudson
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Re: Skedaddle

Postby Philip Hudson » Fri Jun 20, 2014 2:05 pm

David: Whenever I use an emotogram, please know that I am not being serious. An adolescent double entendre is not offensive to me. To me, as with you, the sanctity of marriage is a serious matter. I also hold high the right of freedom of conscience and of religion. I would never mock anyone’s religion or lack thereof. I might oppose a religion, but not on this forum. On occasion, I do discuss religious topics that are appropriate for this forum.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.


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