Skedaddle
/skəˈdæd.əl/noun
To leave or run away hurriedly; to flee.
Did you know?The word exploded into English during the American Civil War, where it was used for a sudden, disorderly retreat, and its exact origin is still uncertain.
Etymological Timeline
Mid-19th Century
English
skedaddle
“to run off in a hurry; to flee in disorder”
Mid-19th Century
American English (dialectal)
skedaddle
“a noisy, hurried departure or retreat”
Unknown
English
scaddle / skaddle
“an earlier dialectal form meaning to scatter or run off”
Unknown
English
scud
“to move fast and lightly; to run with a swift, gliding motion”
Modern English
English
skedaddle
“to leave quickly, especially to avoid trouble”