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#2 (permalink) Sat Dec 03, 2005 7:58 am Scooch over a drop |
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. Your quote is out of context, but I suppose this is the slang idiom (in the character's dialect again) for move over a little bit. Perhaps the speaker wants room to sit down? . _________________ Canadian-American native speaker who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's ESL cafe: Interview with Mister Micawber |
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Mister Micawber Language Coach

Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 6337 Location: Yokohama, Japan
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#3 (permalink) Sun Dec 04, 2005 2:07 am Scooch over a drop |
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That's probably correct since Sid, the character in the movie was outside when he said that phrase to Manfred who was sleeping inside the house he made out of twigs and branches.
But what is the original meaning of the verb 'scooch'? I have not found it in my dictionary.
Thanks. |
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Sylphidae You can meet me at english-test.net
Joined: 10 Dec 2004 Posts: 56
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#4 (permalink) Sun Dec 04, 2005 7:45 am Scooch over a drop |
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. I would guess it is a free variation of
Scrooch (also scrootch) (vi.):
To hunch down; crouch: “the hot kind of hot Indiana hot weather that sends the family dog scrooching under the pickup truck to enjoy the shade” (John Skow).
ETYMOLOGY: Alteration (perhaps influenced by crouch) of scrooge, scrouge, to squeeze, crowd.
or
Scrunch (vt): 1. To crush or crunch. 2. To crumple or squeeze; hunch: scrunched up their shoulders; scrunch one's nose against a window.
(vi): 1. To hunch: “The men scrunched closer” (Susan Dworski). 2. To move with or make a crunching sound: scrunching along the gravel path.
ETYMOLOGY: Probably alteration of crunch.
In English, we play with this sort of onomatopoetic word quite freely in casual conversation, producing multiple forms, as you can see here:
scooch scrunch crunch hunch crush crumple scrooch scrootch crouch squish squinch (qv) etc. . _________________ Canadian-American native speaker who teaches English for a living at Mister Micawber's ESL cafe: Interview with Mister Micawber |
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Mister Micawber Language Coach

Joined: 17 Jul 2005 Posts: 6337 Location: Yokohama, Japan
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#5 (permalink) Wed Dec 07, 2005 6:04 am Scooch over a drop |
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Thanks, Mister Micawber.
One last question: If I'm not mistaken, the last two words in the sentence:
Could you scooch over a drop?
means 'a little'.
Can I use it to modify the verb 'move', say for example, 'Could you move over a drop?' ? |
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Sylphidae You can meet me at english-test.net
Joined: 10 Dec 2004 Posts: 56
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#6 (permalink) Wed Dec 07, 2005 7:49 am Scooch over a drop |
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. I merely presume 'a drop' means 'a little'-- as far as I know, it is not an orthodox use (normally referring to a liquid only: there's not a drop left in my fuel tank)-- and the writer may well have coined it him/herself. I don't think you should try using it unless you confirm that the use is widespread. . |
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Guest
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#7 (permalink) Mon Apr 10, 2006 22:21 pm Scooch over a drop |
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| sylphidae wrote: | What does the phrase mean?
"Could you scooch over a drop?" |
The variant 'scoot over' is also used:
| Quote: | Scoot over: To move one's sitting self or seat aside, so the other person has more space Please scoot over a little so I can sit down.
Synonyms: budge up scoot up |
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Conchita Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2826 Location: Madrid, Spain
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#8 (permalink) Sat Apr 15, 2006 3:56 am Scooch over a drop |
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| Scooch is slang that is not widely used, it is simply a play on the word 'scoot', I think-- which is exactly what it means, to scoot or slide. It isn't listed in my dictionary, but it is listed in the thesaurus as a synonym for slide. |
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Sunchild New Member
Joined: 09 Apr 2006 Posts: 8
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#9 (permalink) Wed Apr 19, 2006 16:20 pm Scooch over a drop |
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| It sounds like something a British person would say. I don't mean that in a negative sense at all. But it just does. |
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Raettopia I'm new here and I like it ;-)
Joined: 19 Apr 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Montreal
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| Double entendres | Origin of 'state of the art'? |