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illustration Scud

Scud

[skəd]

Part of speech: noun

Origin: Unknown origin, mid 16th century

1.

(Mainly literary) A formation of vapory clouds driven fast by the wind. A mass of windblown spray; a driving shower of rain or snow; a gust.

2.

The action of moving fast in a straight line when driven by the wind.

Examples of Scud in a sentence

"The scud of clouds raced quickly across the sky."

"The water vapor formed a scud of fog that billowed across the field."

About Scud

This word was first used as a verb in the 1530s, meaning "to move quickly." It might be a variant of the Middle English “scut,” meaning "rabbit, rabbit's tail" in reference to its movements.

Did you Know?

“Scud” can easily be confused for another similar-sounding word, “scut.” While “scud” is primarily a literary term used to describe clouds or droplets of water being moved by wind gusts, “scut” is the short tail of a hare, rabbit, or deer.

illustration Scud

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