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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”

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

During the 1991 war, Iraq fired waves of scud missiles at its neighbor, including five at the Dimona nuclear reactor in the Negev desert, the heavily guarded heart of Israel’s never-acknowledged nuclear arms program.

From New York Times ● Oct. 9, 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 Alders plan to set up camp on their 2,500-foot-high mountain perch three days before the event — and keep their fingers crossed that coastal scud won’t obscure the view.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 20, 2017

Below them a hook of land shrouded in the dark scud blowing down the shore and beyond that lying half over and awash the shape of a sailboat’s hull.

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

Hunting enemy missiles was a major challenge for the U.S. in its 1991 war with Iraq as many of the Scud missiles the Iraqis used were mobile.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 10, 2026

The US sending Patriot batteries to defend Israel from Iraqi Scud missiles attacks, ahead of its own invasion in the 1991 Gulf war, is a rare exception.

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2023

That engine is seen by some experts as derived from the Soviet RD-250 family of engines, while the earlier Unha space launcher used clusters of engines derived from Scud missiles.

From Reuters ● Jun. 1, 2023

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

From New York Times ● Dec. 21, 2022

Scud walked slowly down the heaving gangway that connected the rocks with the float.

From A Republic Without a President and Other Stories by Herbert D. (Herbert Dickinson) Ward

Hearts heads did not fall, though, and before Shankland's equaliser sparked bedlam, Yutaro Oda scudded the woodwork with a thunderous effort rather than squaring to the loitering Liam Boyce.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2023

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

It scudded across the moon, and with a deadly cry went away westward, outrunning the wind in its fell speed.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

It was quickly wiped out as Iran's push for a winner intensified, Mehdi Taremi scudding the bar, causing a visible gasp to emanate from the table below.

From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026

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

The sky was full of low scudding clouds when I landed in early December.

From New York Times ● Oct. 5, 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

The night dragged on, the rain ending and the clouds scudding away and the stars blinking on, one by one, looking cold and distant.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam