scupper

noun scup·per \ ˈskə-pər \

Updated on: 22 Apr 2018

Definition of scupper

1 : an opening cut through the bulwarks of a ship so that water falling on deck may flow overboard

2 : an opening in the wall of a building through which water can drain from a floor or flat roof

See scupper defined for English-language learners

See scupper defined for kids

scupper was our Word of the Day on 09/12/2015. Hear the podcast!

Recent Examples of scupper from the Web

But this most recent update scuppers any club's plan to sign Werner in the summer.

— SI.com, "Liverpool & Man Utd Dealt Big Blow in Pursuit of Timo Werner As Forward Commits Future to RB Leipzig," 12 Mar. 2018
Possibly the only thing that would scupper Brexit would be a report that leaving the single market would make puppies cry.

— robert hutton, Bloomberg.com, "Brexit Bulletin: I Love You. Now Shut Up," 14 Feb. 2018
To best avoid ice dams, IBHS has created safety guidelines to follow: Keep drains, scuppers, gutters, and downspouts clear of debris.

— madison alcedo, Country Living, "Why You Should Always Clear Snow Off Your Roof," 19 Jan. 2018
Barcelona, however, have the means and certainly the €8m to meet the release clause and scupper those plans.

— SI.com, "Report: Barcelona to Trigger Release Clause of Valencia Rising Star Ferran Torres," 5 Oct. 2017
And knitting needles can roll on deck and out the scuppers.

— andrea sachs, Philly.com, "On a Windjammer cruise in Maine, passengers knit a seaworthy yarn," 26 Oct. 2017
When the Belgian Walloons (French-speakers) threatened to scupper an EU trade deal with Canada last year, they were publicly denounced by their Flemish brethren.

— The Economist, "CharlemagneThe EU will not help the Catalan secessionists’ cause," 14 Oct. 2017
There was no indication from either side, however, that any understanding had been reached on the fate of Hamas’ armed wing, a sticking point which could yet scupper reconciliation efforts.

— saud abu ramadan, Bloomberg.com, "Rival Palestinians Strike Gaza Unity Deal After Cairo Talks," 13 Oct. 2017
However, with Sanchez free to talk to foreign parties from the turn of the year, PSG could land him with a pre-contract agreement and scupper Pep Guardiola's chances of being reunited with Sanchez.

— SI.com, "Alexis Sanchez Race Takes Another Twist as PSG Leapfrog Man City With 'Huge' Signing-on Fee Offer," 22 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'scupper.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of scupper

Middle English skopper- (in compounds), perhaps from Anglo-French *escopoir, from escopir to spit out

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

scupper

verb

Definition of scupper

transitive verb

British

: to defeat or put an end to : do in 1a

See scupper defined for English-language learners

Examples of scupper in a Sentence

The latest information could scupper the peace talks.

Recent Examples of scupper from the Web

Griezmann was believed to be close to joining the Red Devils last summer, but the potential deal was scuppered when Atléti received a transfer embargo and were unable to replace any outgoing stars.

— SI.com, "Atletico Madrid GM Insists 'Nobody' Has Made an Offer for Antoine Griezmann as Barcelona Circle," 15 Apr. 2018
Attempts by Malcolm Duncan, formerly of South Africa, to sell the hands back in 2007 were scuppered by controversy over provenance and a possible missing charitable donation.

— danielle bochove, Bloomberg.com, "Solid Gold Casts of Nelson Mandela’s Hands Sell for $10 Million in Bitcoin," 26 Mar. 2018
The slightest puff of interference from the outside world risks disrupting a qubit and scuppering a calculation.

— The Economist, "Computer scienceMaking quantum computers reliable," 22 Feb. 2018
Promising positions of possession were scuppered by poor control or a lack of precision, and any errors were pounced on by the men in white, with the subsequent swift counter attacks always looking dangerous.

— SI.com, "Napoli 4-1 Lazio: Hosts Recover From Slow Start to Rout Lazio and Regain Top Spot From Juventus," 11 Feb. 2018
Buffon will now be in contention to face Chievo in league action on Saturday, but the injury could have scuppered his chances of equalling Paolo Maldini's record of Serie A appearances by the end of the season.

— afp, chicagotribune.com, "Buffon back in training after injury layoff," 24 Jan. 2018
Any hopes that the Trump administration could end the crisis were scuppered by its chaotic policy.

— written by declan walsh; photographs by tomas munita, New York Times, "Tiny, Wealthy Qatar Goes Its Own Way, and Pays for It," 22 Jan. 2018
But following in the vein of the first half the chance was scuppered with a lack of ball control with Hemed's eventual shot lashed over the bar.

— SI.com, "Brighton 1-0 Watford: Pascal Groß's Strike Ends Seagulls' Winless Streak Against Toothless Hornets," 23 Dec. 2017
But these heists may soon be scuppered by low-tech security measures.

— The Economist, "Lucrative lootHow the economics of robbery are changing," 16 Dec. 2017

scupper Has Military Origins

All efforts to figure out where this verb came from have been defeated, including attempts to connect it to the noun scupper, a 500-year-old word for a drain opening in the side of a ship. (One conjecture, that the blood of shipboard battle was "scuppered" when it was washed down the scuppers, unfortunately lacks backing in the form of any actual evidence of the verb used this way.) All we know for sure is that scupper meant "to ambush and massacre" in 19th-century military slang. Then, just before the century turned, it found its place in a magazine story in the sense of simply "doing (someone) in." The more common modern application to things rather than people being done in or defeated didn't appear until a couple of decades into the 20th century.