scupper
C1Formal, journalistic, nautical, and technical.
Definition
Meaning
To ruin or prevent a plan or endeavor; to sink a ship.
(Nautical) An opening in the side of a ship to allow water to drain from the deck. As a verb, to scupper a plan means to decisively cause it to fail. Military/police use: to deliberately cause an enemy vessel to sink.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The verb is often used in passive voice (e.g., 'plans were scuppered') and implies an action that causes a sudden and definitive end. The noun is a purely technical, nautical term.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The verb meaning 'to ruin plans' is far more common in British English. In American English, the noun (nautical) is better known, though the verb is understood.
Connotations
UK: Strong association with journalism and politics ('scupper the deal'). US: Stronger association with nautical contexts.
Frequency
The verb is high-frequency in UK news media; low-to-medium frequency in US media.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] scuppered [Object (plan/deal)][Object (plan)] was scuppered by [Agent]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “scupper a ship (literal nautical)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
'The sudden market crash scuppered the merger talks.'
Academic
Rare, except in historical/maritime studies.
Everyday
'The bad weather scuppered our picnic plans.' (more common in UK)
Technical
Nautical: 'Ensure the scuppers are clear to allow deck drainage.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The Prime Minister's rebellion scuppered the proposed bill.
- Our holiday was scuppered by the airline strike.
American English
- The whistleblower's report scuppered the company's IPO.
- Bad luck scuppered their championship hopes.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The rain scuppered our game of football.
- Last-minute legal issues have scuppered the property deal.
- The investigative journalist's exposé scuppered the minister's political ambitions completely.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a pirate SCUPPERing a rival's ship by opening its SCUPPers (drain holes) to let water in, thereby ruining their voyage.
Conceptual Metaphor
PLANS ARE SHIPS (to scupper a plan is to sink the 'ship' of that plan).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'скапер' (non-existent) or 'скальп' (scalp). The verb is close to 'сорвать' (планы), 'пустить ко дну'.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He scuppered to win the race.' (Requires a direct object: 'He scuppered his chances to win...')
- Confusing spelling: 'scupper' vs. 'scutter' or 'scuttle' (though 'scuttle' is a close synonym).
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'scupper' correctly in a nautical sense?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is common in formal and journalistic contexts, especially in British English, to describe the failure of plans or deals.
Yes, but only as a technical nautical term for a drain hole on a ship's deck. In everyday language, it's almost always a verb.
They are very close synonyms. Both can mean 'to sink a ship deliberately' and 'to ruin a plan.' 'Scuttle' is slightly more common in American English for both meanings.
It is strictly transitive; it requires a direct object (e.g., you scupper *something*).