Scutage, skū′tāj, n. a tax, instead of personal service, which a vassal or tenant owed to his lord, sometimes levied by the crown in feudal times.—Also Es′cuage. [O. Fr. escuage—L. scutum, shield.]
Scutate, skūt′āt, adj. (bot.) shaped like a round shield: (zool.) having the surface protected by large scales. [L. scutātus—scutum, shield.]
Scutch, skuch, v.t. to beat: to separate from the core, as flax.—n. a coarse tow that separates from flax in scutching.—ns. Scutch′er, one who dresses hedges: an implement used in scutching, esp. a beater in a flax-scutching machine, &c.; Scutch′ing-sword, a beating instrument in scutching flax by hand. [Prob. O. Fr. escousser, to shake off—Low L. excussāre—L. excutĕre, to shake off.]
Scutcheon, Scutchin, skuch′un, -in, n. (Spens.) escutcheon, shield, device on a shield. [Escutcheon.]
Scute, skūt, n. a shield: (zool.) a large scale, a plate, as the dermal scutes of a ganoid fish, a turtle, &c. [O. Fr. escut—L. scutum, a shield.]
Scutella, skū-tel′a, n. a genus of flat sea-urchins.—adj. Scū′tellar.—n. Scutellā′ria, a genus of gamopetalous plants, known as skullcaps.—adjs. Scū′tellate, -d, noting the foot of a bird when it is provided with the plates called scutella.—ns. Scutellā′tion; Scutell′era, a group-name for the true bugs (Scutelleridæ).—adjs. Scutell′iform, scutellate; Scutellig′erous, provided with a scutellum; Scutelliplan′tar, having the back of the tarsus scutellate.—n. Scutell′um (bot., entom.), a little shield:—pl. Scutell′a.—n.pl. Scutibranchiā′ta, an order of gasteropod mollusca.—n. Scū′tifer, a shield-bearer.—adjs. Scutif′erous, bearing a shield: (zool.) scutigerous; Scū′tiform, having the form of a shield.—n. Scutig′era, a common North American species of centipede.—adjs. Scutig′erous, provided with a scute or scuta; Scū′tiped, having the shanks scaly, of birds. [L., dim. of scutra, a platter.]
Scutter, skut′ėr, v.i. to run hastily: to scurry.—n. a hasty run. [A variant of Scuttle (3).]
Scuttle, skut′l, n. a shallow basket: a vessel for holding coal. [A.S. scutel—L. scutella, a salver, dim. of scutra, a dish.]
Scuttle, skut′l, n. the openings or hatchways of a ship: a hole through the hatches or in the side or bottom of a ship.—v.t. to cut holes through any part of a ship: to sink a ship by cutting holes in it.—ns. Scutt′le-butt, -cask, a cask with a hole cut in it for the cup or dipper, for holding drinking-water in a ship; Scutt′le-fish, a cuttle-fish. [O. Fr. escoutille, a hatchway (Sp. escotilla), from Dut. schoot, the lap; Ger. schoss, bosom, a lap.]
Scuttle, skut′l, v.i. to scud or run with haste: to hurry.—n. a quick run: a mincing gait.—Also Scudd′le, Skutt′le. [Scud.]