Part 151

Scut (?), n. [Cf. Icel. skott a fox's tail. √ 159.] [Obs.] The tail of a hare, or of a deer, or other animal whose tail is short, esp. when carried erect; hence, sometimes, the animal itself. "He ran like a scut." Skelton.

How the Indian hare came to have a long tail, whereas that part in others attains no higher than a scut.

Sir T. Browne.

My doe with the black scut.

Shak.

||Scu"ta (?), n. pl. See Scutum.

Scu"tage (?; 48), n. [LL. scutagium, from L. scutum a shield.] (Eng. Hist.) Shield money; commutation of service for a sum of money. See Escuage.

Scu"tal (?), a. Of or pertaining to a shield.

A good example of these scutal monstrosities.

Cussans.

Scu"tate (?), a. [L. scutatus armed with a shield, from scutum a shield.] 1. Buckler-shaped; round or nearly round.

2. (Zoöl.) Protected or covered by bony or horny plates, or large scales.

Scutch (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scutched (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Scutching.] [See Scotch to cut slightly.] 1. To beat or whip; to drub. [Old or Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

2. To separate the woody fiber from (flax, hemp, etc.) by beating; to swingle.

3. To loosen and dress the fiber of (cotton or silk) by beating; to free (fibrous substances) from dust by beating and blowing.

Scutching machine, a machine used to scutch cotton, silk, or flax; -- called also batting machine.

Scutch, n. 1. A wooden instrument used in scutching flax and hemp.

2. The woody fiber of flax; the refuse of scutched flax. "The smoke of the burning scutch." Cuthbert Bede.

Scutch"eon (?), n. [Aphetic form of escutcheon.] 1. An escutcheon; an emblazoned shield. Bacon.

The corpse lay in state, with all the pomp of scutcheons, wax lights, black hangings, and mutes.

Macaulay.

2. A small plate of metal, as the shield around a keyhole. See Escutcheon, 4.

Scutch"eoned (?), a. Emblazoned on or as a shield.

Scutcheoned panes in cloisters old.

Lowell.

Scutch"er (?), n. 1. One who scutches.

2. An implement or machine for scutching hemp, flax, or cotton, etc.; a scutch; a scutching machine.

Scutch" grass` (?). (Bot.) A kind of pasture grass (Cynodon Dactylon). See Bermuda grass: also Illustration in Appendix.