shuck
shuck Lexical Profile
shuck Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To remove the outer husks, pods, or shells from something, especially ears of corn or shellfish such as oysters and clams.
"The chef taught the apprentices how to safely shuck oysters with a short, sturdy knife."
North American To strip off or cast aside clothing, responsibilities, or burdens (often followed by 'off', informal).
"The hikers couldn't wait to shuck their heavy boots and soak their tired feet in the cool stream."
American To deceive, trick, or mislead someone through insincere talk or behavior (slang).
"Stop trying to shuck me and just tell me the real reason the project is behind schedule."
• noun
An outer covering such as a husk or pod, especially the outer leafy covering of an ear of corn or the shell of a nut.
"We tossed the dried corn shucks into the compost pile after preparing dinner."
North American The hard outer shell of an oyster or clam.
"Piles of discarded oyster shucks lined the path behind the seafood restaurant."
North American Something of little or no value, or a deceptive hoax or sham (informal).
"The whole promotional offer turned out to be a complete shuck designed to gather personal data."
• Rhymes for shuck
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the late 17th century, the word is of uncertain origin, possibly related to regional German 'schocke' (meaning a shock or heap of grain) or derived via metathesis from 'husk'.