Word of the day: scud

The word of the day is scud:

1. to run or move quickly or hurriedly.
2. Nautical. to run before a gale with little or no sail set.
3. Archery. (of an arrow) to fly too high and wide of the mark.

"to move quickly," 1532, perhaps a variant of M.E. scut "rabbit, rabbit's tail," in reference to its movements, perhaps from O.N. skjota "to throw, shoot" (cf. Norw. skudda "to shove, push"), but there are phonetic difficulties. Perhaps rather from a N.Sea Gmc. source akin to M.L.G., M.Du. schudden "to shake."

(http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/scud)

"The clouds had scudded away, and in their place the moon and stars shone crisp and bright."

 - Hampton Sides, In the Kingdom of Ice: The Grand and Terrible Polar Voyage of the USS Jeannette