1 C1 formal
To run away quickly and nervously, with rapid short steps.
"The mice skurried away the moment the kitchen light came on."
inseparable
skurry away
C1 formal inseparable intransitive
An archaic or dialectal variant of 'scurry away': to move hurriedly and with short, quick steps.
In plain English
To run away very quickly with small, fast steps (an old-fashioned word).
What does "skurry away" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To skurry (hurry) in a direction away — skurry being an older form of 'scurry'.
Actually means
To run away very quickly with small, fast steps (an old-fashioned word).
Usage tip
Archaic. Found in older literature but not in modern everyday speech. Learners should use 'scurry away' instead. May appear in historical fiction or period drama.
Words that pair with "skurry away"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
mouse creature crowd frightened quickly
How to conjugate "skurry away"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
skurry away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
skurries away
he/she/it
Past simple
skurried away
yesterday
Past participle
skurried away
have + pp
-ing form
skurrying away
continuous
Hear "skurry away" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "skurry away" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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