scutter
/ˈskʌtər/
verb
- To move quickly with short, hurried steps, often in a slightly clumsy or panicked way.
- A mouse scuttered across the kitchen floor and disappeared behind the fridge.
- The crabs scuttered sideways into the water as we approached.
- She scuttered to catch the bus, dropping her keys along the way.
noun
- A short, hurried movement or the sound of such movement.
- There was a sudden scutter of feet as the children ran to hide.
- The only sound was the scutter of leaves blown across the pavement.
- We heard a scutter in the attic and wondered if it was a squirrel.