The Complete Vocabulary Builder Workbook

skedaddle

IPA:

Dictionary definition of skedaddle

To hastily or quickly depart or flee from a place.
"The kids decided to skedaddle from the neighbor's yard when they saw the dog."

Detailed meaning of skedaddle

It conveys a sense of hurried movement, often accompanied by a desire to escape a situation or avoid trouble. When someone "skedaddles," they make a swift and often abrupt exit, leaving behind their current location or circumstances. This action can be prompted by a variety of reasons, such as a sudden realization of danger, the need to evade confrontation, or a desire to avoid an unpleasant or uncomfortable situation. "Skedaddle" carries a lighthearted and informal tone, implying a sense of playful or slightly humorous urgency in one's departure. It is a word that suggests a rapid and sometimes ungraceful departure, as if one is fleeing with a sense of urgency or excitement, adding an element of liveliness and spontaneity to the act of leaving.

Example sentences containing skedaddle

1. "Time to skedaddle; the storm is near," Jane said, grabbing her coat quickly.
2. "If we don’t skedaddle now, we’ll miss the last train!" Tom exclaimed.
3. The kids need to skedaddle to school, or they're surely going to be late!
4. "Let's skedaddle before the crowd gets crazy," advised Sam, looking worried.
5. Hearing the alarm, it was clearly time to skedaddle from the smokey room.
6. "Skedaddle, the rain’s coming!" shouted Ann, as dark clouds formed overhead.

History and etymology of skedaddle

The verb 'skedaddle' is an intriguing term with uncertain etymological origins. It is thought to have emerged in American English during the mid-19th century. While the exact source of the word remains somewhat elusive, it is believed to be influenced by both Scottish and Irish dialects. Some speculate that it may have derived from the Scottish Gaelic word 'sgèideil,' which means 'to disperse' or 'scatter.' Additionally, there are suggestions that it could be related to the Irish word 'sgiodail,' meaning 'to go away' or 'scatter.' Regardless of its precise origins, 'skedaddle' has come to represent the act of hastily or quickly departing or fleeing from a place, and its playful and whimsical sound adds a touch of lightheartedness to the notion of hurried departure.

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Further usage examples of skedaddle

1. "When mom finds out, we better skedaddle," whispered the naughty twins.
2. Sarah saw the bee, yelled "skedaddle!" and we all sprinted away, laughing.
3. "If you want a seat, skedaddle! The show starts in five," said the usher.
4. The sight of a snake made them skedaddle out of the grassy field quickly.
5. "Once the boss arrives, we skedaddle," Jake reminded the team nervously.
6. If we want to catch the last train, we must skedaddle now.
7. When the thief saw the police, he decided to skedaddle from the scene.
8. If they don't skedaddle, they will miss the start of the concert.
9. The moment you feel uncomfortable, just skedaddle from the place.
10. Do we have time to finish our drinks or do we need to skedaddle immediately?
11. When the game turned dangerous, all I could think was to skedaddle.
12. The birds skedaddle from the feeder whenever they see the cat approaching.
13. After we prank the teacher, we'll have to skedaddle before getting caught.
14. To avoid getting stuck in traffic, we should skedaddle as soon as possible.
15. The group of tourists chose to skedaddle before the storm hit.
16. Can we stick around for a few more minutes, or should we skedaddle?
17. The tour guide recommended that we skedaddle before it gets too dark.
18. Once the band finished their set, they had to skedaddle to the next venue.
19. You'll need to skedaddle if you want to catch the early bus.
20. When you see the bee hive, skedaddle and don't look back.
21. We should skedaddle from this meeting; it's going nowhere.
22. The moment the alarm sounds, skedaddle to the nearest exit.
23. As the storm approached, the beachgoers decided to skedaddle for safety.
24. Let's skedaddle before the mall starts to close.