shuck meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

shuck

noun

/ʃʌk/ · IE /ʃʊk/

Etymology Origin unknown. Possibly a dialectal survival of unrecorded Middle English *schulk(e), *schullok (“small shell”); either from Old English *sċylluc, *sċylloc, diminutive of Old English sċyll (“shell”), or alternatively created in Middle English from Middle English schulle, schelle (“shell, husk, pod”) + -ok, making it equivalent to shell + -ock (diminutive suffix) or shell + -k (diminutive suffix).

1

The shell or husk, especially of grains (e.g. corn/maize) or nuts (e.g. walnuts).

There was no linen, no pillow, and when she touched the mattress it gave forth the faint dry whisper of shucks.1931, William Faulkner, Sanctuary, Library of America, published 1985, page 46:

2

Slang A fraud; a scam.

African-American Vernacular

3

Slang A phony.

Derived terms: cornshuck, shuck pen

shuck

verb

Etymology Origin unknown. Possibly a dialectal survival of unrecorded Middle English *schulk(e), *schullok (“small shell”); either from Old English *sċylluc, *sċylloc, diminutive of Old English sċyll (“shell”), or alternatively created in Middle English from Middle English schulle, schelle (“shell, husk, pod”) + -ok, making it equivalent to shell + -ock (diminutive suffix) or shell + -k (diminutive suffix).

1

To remove the shuck from (walnuts, oysters, etc.).

Shall we shuck walnuts?

2

To remove (any outer covering).

I will shuck my clothes and dive naked into the pool.
[...] but what had actually happened was that the wheel of one of the coaches became detached from its axle, or, in the more expressive American argot, the train "shucked off a wheel near Everett."1941 April, “Notes and News: The Reason Why”, in Railway Magazine, page 182:

3

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences Slang To remove (an external hard drive or solid-state drive) from its casing so that it can be used inside another device.

4

Slang To fool; to hoax.

Derived terms: shuck and jive, shuck down, shucker, shuckery, shucking knife, shuck off, unshucked

shuck

verb

Etymology From a dialectal variant of shock.

1

Dialectal To shake; shiver.

2

Dialectal To slither or slip, move about, wriggle.

3

Dialectal To do hurriedly or in a restless way.

4

Dialectal To avoid; baffle, outwit, shirk.

5

Dialectal, Of a horse To walk at a slow trot.

Derived terms: shuckish, shucky

shuck

noun

Etymology Possibly from Middle English shucke, schucke (“demon, monster”), from Old English sċucca (“an evil spirit”).

1

Arts, Folklore, History, Human sciences, Literature, Media, Publishing, Sciences European A supernatural and generally malevolent black dog in English folklore.

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