English

Verb

skitter ‎(third-person singular simple present skitters, present participle skittering, simple past and past participle skittered)

1. (intransitive) To move hurriedly or as by twitching or bouncing.

   I opened the cabinet and hundreds of cockroaches went skittering off into the darkness.

   • Theodore Roosevelt, Hunting Trips of a Ranchman

     Some kinds of ducks in lighting strike the water with their tails first, and skitter along the surface for a few feet before settling down.

2. (intransitive) To make a skittering noise.
3. (transitive) To move or pass (something) over a surface quickly so that it touches only at intervals; to skip.
   • James A. Henshall

     The angler, standing in the bow, 'skitters' or skips the spoon over the surface.

4. (transitive, Northern England) To cause to have diarrhea.
   • 1970, James Herriot, If Only They Could Talk

     You'll skitter the poor buggers to death [farmer protesting to vet about to dose calves with Epsom salts]

Translations

Noun

skitter ‎(plural skitters)

1. A skittering movement.

   A skitter of activity.

   A skitter of gooseflesh.

2. (Scotland, Northern England, uncountable) diarrhea

See also

• scamper
• scurry