Virginia’s Image Gloss
missvirginia on Sep 8th 2009
“The Yankee clipper is under her three skysails. . . .she cuts the sparkle and scud, My eyes settle the land . . . . I bend at her prow or shout joyously from the deck.” p. 35, Song of Myself
one definition: SCUD: loose vapory clouds driven swiftly by the wind
SCUD: As a noun:
- Main Entry: 2scud
- Function: noun
- Date: 1609
1 : the action of scudding : rush
2 a : loose vapory clouds driven swiftly by the wind b (1) : a slight sudden shower (2) : mist, rain, snow, or spray driven by the wind c : a gust of wind
SCUD: As a verb:
- Main Entry: 1scud
- Pronunciation: \ˈskəd\
- Function: intransitive verb
- Inflected Form(s): scud·ded; scud·ding
- Etymology: perhaps from Middle Dutch schudden to shake
- Date: 1532
1 : to move or run swiftly especially as if driven forward <clouds scudding across the sky>
2 : to run before a gale
-from Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
Being from Appomattox, about four hours from the coast, I am not familiar with sea vessel terms or colloquial vocabulary seen on the coast or heard from those familiar with that atmosphere. When researching this, I found that SCUD also refers to missiles the Soviet Union made. Ironic, don’t you think?
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