Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. (US) of a person or object, to slide.

1838		J.C. Neal Charcoal Sketches (1865) 75: Notwithstanding his convulsive efforts to clutch the icy bricks, [...] he skuted into the gutter.
1935		(con. 1920s) J.T. Farrell Judgement Day in Studs Lonigan (1936) 729: A girl, chased by a fellow, scooted past him, tumbled.
1957		R. Prather Always Leave ’Em Dying 76: I found an empty chair about halfway down towards the stage and scooted in.
1967		M. Brookins ‘Aspiration’ in Kochman Rappin’ and Stylin’ Out (1972) 385: I parked next to Flora's delivery truck, scooted down in the seat, lit up a Kool and relaxed.
1990		J. Wambaugh Golden Orange (1991) 361: Winnie scooted to a lower rock.

2. (also scooter, scoot off) to run off, to escape; to move suddenly or swiftly; in fig. use, to die (see cite 1925).

1844		‘Jonathan Slick’ High Life in N.Y. I 251: The ’pothecary snatched up his hat and scooted across the street like a crazy critter.
1851		‘How Sally Hooter Got Snake-Bit’ in T.A. Burke Polly Peablossom’s Wedding 68: You see it’s era vurmin what always rattles his tail ’fore he strikes, an’ gives you time to scoot out’n the way.
1867		‘Artemus Ward’ Artemus Ward in London in Complete Works (1922) 480: The cussed critter ain’t dead. she’s scooted with another man!
1869		Quarterly Rev. cxxvi 371: The laugh of the gull as he scoots along the shore [F&H].
1873		J. Mair Hbk of Phrases 114: Scoot, to move or run swiftly.
1884		E. Nye Baled Hay 13: The short, sweet summer scooted past.
1885		Bulletin (Sydney) 17 Jan. 6/1: If he comes up again, / It is perfectly plain, / He’ll be hooted / And booted, / Until he has scooted.
1890		Chillicothe (MO) Constitution 14 Sept. 8/5: Up jumped the organist from her seat and scooted (that’s slang) across the chancel.
1894		Truth (Sydney) 15 Apr. 1/8: Away he scooted with the pins at the rate of about a mile a minute.
1897		E.E. Rogers [perf. Marie Lloyd] The French Lady’s Maid 🎵 ‘Make quick, my lady! Scoot, Moosoo / My lady’s husband vos after you’.
1899		C. Rook Hooligan Nights 30: I ducked under ’is arm an’ scooted.
1899		Crissie 50: ‘Excuse me scootin’ off’.
1901		Marvel XV:373 Jan. 7: Scoot! [...] Scoot fer yer lives, boys!
1905		Sun. Times (Perth) 5 Feb. 4/7: Martin transfers the change to the pockets of the inebriated one, steers him out, gets him aboard a tram, and scoots.
1910		Truth (Perth) 24 Dec. 8/8: ‘Who would many of a creature / What had scootered front a Home’.
1910		E. Rosen In the Foreign Legion 11: ‘If they don't treat me with proper respect, I’ll be compelled to leave them again. On French leave! Scoot, skin out, bunk it see?’.
1913		H. Lawson ‘The Downfall of Little Willie’ in Roderick (1972) 819: They all knocked hard — and scooted.
1917		A. Brazil Madcap of the School 10: Scooterons-nous this very sec! Quick! Hurry!
1922		Joyce Ulysses 403: Hell, blast ye! Scoot.
1925		Rule & Stogden [perf. Wee Georgie Wood] ‘Wat More Fruit’ 🎵 Don’t eat beef and don’t eat ham / Then you’ll find, then you’ll find / You’ll live to ninety-nine before you scoot, scoot, scoot.
1934		H. Miller Tropic of Cancer (1963) 310: She’ll never dream that you scooted off without bag or baggage.
1941		J.M. Cain Mildred Pierce (1985) 404: Mildred [...] said her hasty goodbyes, and scooted.
1954		(con. 1940s) E. Lambert Veterans 51: He steadied himself [...] glaring, snarling at me. ‘Scoot! Before I call up the provosts.’.
1960		E. De Roo Big Rumble 39: Well, you go find him! Scoot.
1969		P. Theroux Murder in Mount Holly (1999) 49: Now if I’m imposing you just tell me scoot the blazes out of here.
1975		‘P.B. Yuill’ Hazell and the Three-card Trick (1977) 160: I’ll tell yer, honest I will, only we gotta scoot.
1976		E. Thompson Caldo Largo (1980) 43: He scooted off laughing.
1986		R. Campbell In La-La Land We Trust (1999) 1: The ball scooted into some reeds growing in and around the water.
1992		R. Barnard A Fatal Attachment (1993) 159: Let him in [...] Then you can scoot off for an hour or two.
2002		‘Barbara Vine’ Blood Doctor (2003) 251: Run along now, scoot.
2015		L. McInerney Glorious Heresies 77: ‘You’d want to scoot on,’ said the man.
2017		T. Pluck Bad Boy Boogie [ebook] ‘The rest of you, scoot’.
2018-20		T. Thorne (ed.) ‘Drill Slang Glossary’ at Forensic Linguistic Databank 🌐 Scoot - escape, leave quickly.
2021		T. Swerdlow Straight Dope [ebook] I got to scoot, a famous and talented writer just walked into my office.

3. to travel.

1895		‘’Arry on the Elections’ in Punch 27 July 39/1: We scooted around for ten mile, the ’ole distance one thunderin’ cheer.
2024		J. Meades Empty Wigs (t/s) 183: You could scoot over to Tenbury and see what specimens he might lend us.

4. to send (someone), to impel (someone).

1911

S. Ford Torchy 285: I didn’t lose any time in scootin’ ’em down Fourth-ave. to a dollar a day house.