scull
Americannoun
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sculls
plural
-
an oar mounted on a fulcrum at the stern of a small boat and moved from side to side to propel the boat forward.
-
either of a pair of oars rowed by one rower.
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a boat propelled by an oar or oars.
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a light, narrow racing boat for one, two, or sometimes four rowers, each equipped with a pair of oars.
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sculls, a race involving such boats.
verb (used with object)
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sculls,
present (3rd person singular)
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sculled,
past participle, past
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sculling
present participle
verb (used without object)
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sculls,
present (3rd person singular)
-
sculled,
past participle, past
-
sculling
present participle
noun
-
a single oar moved from side to side over the stern of a boat to propel it
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one of a pair of short-handled oars, both of which are pulled by one oarsman, esp in a racing shell
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a racing shell propelled by an oarsman or oarsmen pulling two oars
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(plural) a race between racing shells, each propelled by one, two, or four oarsmen pulling two oars
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an act, instance, period, or distance of sculling
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
scullsimple
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scullssimple
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have sculledperfect
-
has sculledperfect
-
am scullingprogressive
-
are scullingprogressive
-
is scullingprogressive
-
have been scullingperfect progressive
-
has been scullingperfect progressive
Past
-
sculledsimple
-
had sculledperfect
-
was scullingprogressive
-
were scullingprogressive
-
had been scullingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of scull
1300–50; Middle English sculle < ?
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Back on land, the crew donned blazers and burned an old wooden scull in Peterhouse’s garden.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
These classes teach beginners in small groups to scull in stable, single boats, emphasizing boat skills and introducing rowers to larger boats.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 29, 2023
A few etymologists liken the scooped blade of the scull to the hollow basin of the skull—and others have argued that humans once made these drinking-bowls from actual human skulls.
From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2021
Great Britain's 2020 Olympic rowing frustration continued as Vicky Thornley was edged out of a medal despite a late push in the women's single scull.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2021
This is better than bringing the thumb under the scull; it gives the wrists more play, and tends to avoid cramp of the forearm.
From Boating by W. B. Woodgate
The author, who lives in Culver City, is still married to the erstwhile sailor, but she now sculls at UCLA’s Marina Aquatic Center.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2025
The author, who lives in Culver City, is still married to the erstwhile sailor, but she now sculls at UCLA’s Marina Aquatics Center.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2025
And to finish off the morning, GB’s Annabel Caddick and Samuel Murray secured silver in the PR3 mixed double sculls after holding off the threat of German duo Jan Helmich and Hermine Krumbein.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2024
Great Britain's Lauren Rowles and Gregg Stevenson left it late to claim a thrilling Paralympic gold in the mixed doubles sculls in Paris.
From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2024
They set it in the water and a moment later Bland came out, with the sculls.
From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner
They sculled upside-down, slapped their pecs and flukes seemingly just for fun, maybe just to hear the resonant, smacking sound.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 29, 2019
Final flat whites were sculled at overpriced cafes and out-of-office signatures attached to emails.
From The Guardian ● Jan. 21, 2018
But on Sept. 23 the 72-year-old took to the Mississippi River near the Bass Street Landing and sculled for the first time in his life.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 17, 2014
He almost sculled it, real hot running past the hole.
From Golf Digest ● Jun. 9, 2014
Cox was a sculler who laid himself out for fast starting: he used very small blades, he did not swing further back than when rowing, and he sculled a very rapid stroke.
From Boating by W. B. Woodgate
A gifted athlete, he became the first Indian to win the Macklin Sculls - a prestigious single sculling race - at the Calcutta Lake Club in 1938.
From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026
There are two types of rowing: sculling and sweep rowing.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 29, 2023
The longer you stay underwater, kicking your feet, sculling your arms against all that heaviness and bright blue, the worse it gets.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2022
During covid we got our sculling license, so we’d do some sculling for maybe an hour.
From Washington Post ● Jul. 8, 2021
“You’re just in need of my help,” said Janice, sculling again through her cantaloupe.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
