scuttle
UK: ˈskʌt(ə)l | US: ˈskʌt(ə)l
vi. to run hurriedly with short, quick steps
vt. to deliberately sink a ship by making holes in its hull
n. a quick, hurried movement; a small hatch or opening in a ship’s deck
The word scuttle originally referred to the quick, darting movements of animals like rabbits, likened to the flicking of a tail (hence scut). Over time, it broadened to describe hurried human movement. The nautical sense (sinking a ship) derives from the idea of "cutting short" a vessel’s life by creating openings (scuttles). The suffix -le reinforces the repetitive or diminutive nature of the action.
The crab scuttled sideways into its burrow.
Pirates scuttled their ship to avoid capture.
She heard mice scuttling behind the walls.
The sailor climbed through the scuttle to access the lower deck.
The thief scuttled away when the alarm sounded.