scupper

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“
Another method of dealing with hands who could not keep their eyes open when on watch was to reeve a rope through the scupper-hole, attach one end to the person, and the other to a coal basket, which was thrown overboard.

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Definitions (9)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (4)

  1. noun Nautical An opening in the side of a ship at deck level to allow water to run off.
  2. noun An opening for draining off water, as from a floor or the roof of a building.
  3. transitive verb Chiefly British To overwhelm or massacre.
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Examples (50)

  • Unfortunately, I can't help feeling that the casting choices rather scupper the tone that Crepax was going for. —  DVD Times
  • There was apprehension if this unexpected development could scupper Congress's chances in Punjab where it was hopeful of wresting seats from the Akalis. —  The Times of India
  • But don't the government intend to scupper that and offer up to 95\% LTV via the banks that they, I mean we, have bought? —  House Price Crash News Blog
  • This week - the start of the new tax year - saw enormous demand for NIC "buy backs" scupper a government website that allows savers to work out their pension size. —  Personal finance and money news, analysis and comment | guardian.co.uk
  • League bosses will now be fearing similar action from other teams up and down the country which could scupper any potential deal with CBZ.
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Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. Middle English scoper- (in scopernail, nail for attaching scupper-leathers to a ship), probably from scopen, to scoop, from scope, a scoop; see scoop.
  2. Perhaps from scupper1.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. Prob. so named because the water seems to ‘spit’ forth from it; from Old French escopir, escupir = Spanish escupir, spit out; perhaps from Latin exspuere, spit out, from ex, out, + spuere, spit: see spew.
 

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/ˈskəpər/
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