skedaddle

Meaning

Verb

1. (US, informal, intransitive) To move or run away quickly.
2. (regional, transitive) To spill; to scatter.

Noun

The act of running away; a scurrying off.

Synonyms

run away

escape

flee

scurry

scram

scoot

make off

dart

🎯

decamp

fly

✈️

gallop

get a move on

hurry

hurtle

leave

play truant

race

run

shoot

speed

sprint

take off

tear

cut and run

zip

zoom

abscond

copout

absquatulate

beetle

🪲

bolt

career

charge

cut out

Translations

abhauen

flüchten

irse

türmen

scappare

déguerpir

largarse

πιλαλώ

παίρνω δρόμο

λακίζω

φεύγω εν πανικώ

δραπετεύω

fliehen

φεύγω

weglaufen

Pronounced as (IPA)

/skɪˈdædəl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: scathel

Inherited from Old English: *scaþol

Cognate with Ancient Greek: σκέδασις

In summary

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".