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• scud
  scud

  verb (used without object)

  to run or move quickly or hurriedly.
• Scud
  Scud

  noun

  a surface-to-surface missile, especially one deployed on a mobile launcher.

scud

¹ American  

[skuhd] / skʌd /

verb (used without object)

scudded, scudding

1. to run or move quickly or hurriedly.

2. Nautical. to run before a gale with little or no sail set.

3. Archery. (of an arrow) to fly too high and wide of the mark.

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noun

1. the act of scudding.

2. clouds, spray, or mist driven by the wind; a driving shower or gust of wind.

3. low-drifting clouds appearing beneath a cloud from which precipitation is falling.

scud ² American  

[skuhd] / skʌd /

verb (used with object)

scudded, scudding

1. to cleanse (a trimmed and roughly depilated skin or hide) of remaining hairs or dirt.

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noun

1. the hairs or dirt removed by scudding.

Scud ³ American  

[skuhd] / skʌd /

Or Scud missile

noun

1. a surface-to-surface missile, especially one deployed on a mobile launcher.

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scud ¹ British  

/ skʌd /

verb

1. (intr) (esp of clouds) to move along swiftly and smoothly

2. (intr) nautical to run before a gale

3. (tr) to hit; slap

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noun

1. the act of scudding

2. meteorol

   1. a formation of low fractostratus clouds driven by a strong wind beneath rain-bearing clouds

   2. a sudden shower or gust of wind

3. a slap

Scud ² British  

/ skʌd /

noun

1. informal a Soviet-made surface-to-surface missile, originally designed to carry nuclear warheads and with a range of 300 km; later modified to achieve greater range: used by Iraq in the Iran-Iraq War and in the Gulf Wars

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Etymology

Origin of scud¹

First recorded in 1525–35; of obscure origin; possibly from Middle Low German or Middle Dutch schudden “to shake”

Origin of scud²

First recorded in 1780–90; of uncertain origin; perhaps from obsolete scud “dirt”

Origin of Scud³

The NATO name for a missile developed by the Soviets in the 1960s; probably from scud in the sense “to move quickly”

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Explanation

To scud is to quickly dart or dash, the way clouds scud across the sky on a windy day or a sailboat scuds along the surface of a lake when it finally catches a breeze. When something scuds, it's often because the wind seems to be blowing it along — so you might watch kites scud over the beach or birds scud from tree to tree. Experts aren't positive about the origins of this word, but one guess connects it to scut, "rabbit" or "rabbit's tail." The speed of something scudding influenced NATO's code name for the Soviet Union's Cold War-era missiles, Scuds.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

scud Scud scudded scudding

The team looked at three types of freshwater animals -- two species of gammarid, or "scud," which is a small freshwater crustacean; one freshwater snail; and three aquatic insect species.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 6, 2023

The seaweed algae can tower hundreds of feet above the ocean floor, providing protection and nutrients for scud, sea otters, snails, rockfish, anemones, eels, crabs, jellyfish and other marine life.

From New York Times ● Dec. 5, 2022

Fleecy white clouds scud across a bright blue sky, providing enough intermittent shade to keep temperatures tolerable.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 6, 2020

The Patriot system thought the scud was far from the barracks and did not fire.

From Slate ● Oct. 31, 2019

It’s past midnight, and clouds scud over a nearly full moon.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

The U.S. also sent Patriot antimissile batteries that year to Israel to defend the country from the Scud missile attacks then Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had ordered.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 26, 2026

Work started on the system after the First Gulf War in 1991, when Iraq fired dozens of Soviet-made Scud missiles into Israel.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2024

Patriot: This American-made system is the oldest member of Israel’s missile-defense system – used during the First Gulf War in 1991 to intercept Scud missiles fired by Iraq’s leader at the time, Saddam Hussein.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 13, 2024

During the gulf war, military officials said the system intercepted all but two Iraqi Scud missiles.

From New York Times ● Dec. 21, 2022

We cheat him of our part of the just results of his lifetime's labor, and he flings back at us his anathema in the form of a "Flying Scud."

From The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 20, No. 120, October, 1867. by Various

Tanguy Ndombele scudded one against the bar and Giacomo Raspadori had a couple of near things before, mercifully for the Scots, the assault dissipated.

From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2022

The ball scudded over the outstretched arms of American goalkeeper Zack Steffen and under the crossbar, sparking cheers from the sparse, happily stunned crowd.

From New York Times ● Nov. 16, 2021

He climbed aboard a tractor to start planting his winter wheat crop under a blue sky scudded with white clouds.

From Washington Post ● Jan. 9, 2019

Rain lashed the hills that surround the hills to the south and east of Phokeng, eddies of dust scudded across the plain to the north and lightning flickered constantly above the platinum works.

From The Guardian ● Feb. 4, 2013

The night was dark with occasional gleams of moonlight between the rents of the heavy clouds that scudded across the sky.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

With 10 in their last two - 15 in three if you include last week's Scottish Cup semi-final scudding of St Johnstone - you would fancy them to do that.

From BBC ● Apr. 26, 2025

But in summer the view from the opposite side is equally spectacular: the approach of moisture-laden monsoon clouds, scudding across the sky.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 9, 2022

In the quiet of evening, after competition has ended, the venue echoes with a scudding sound of practice throws and the heavy thunk of takeouts.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 18, 2022

Schulz strains to describe the state of bereavement, whose scudding emotions are presented as curious novelties but will be familiar to anyone who’s been there.

From New York Times ● Jan. 4, 2022

He remembered the great oaks and the clear living air, the clean sage-laced wind from the hills and the brown oak leaves scudding.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

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