English [ edit ]

Etymology [ edit ]

Attested since the 1830s in American English, a jocular mock-Latin word.[1] Blend of abscond +‎ squat +‎ perambulate, as ab- (“away (from)”) (as in abscond) + squat + *-ulate (as in perambulate, properly -ate), hence meaning “get up (from a squat) and depart (quickly)”.[1][2] The middle portion was perhaps influenced by -le (“(frequentative)”) and the dialectal term squattle (“depart”); compare contemporary skedaddle.

Pronunciation [ edit ]

IPA (key) : /æb.ˈskwɑtʃ.ʊ.leɪt/ , /æbz.ˈkwɑtʃ.ʊ.leɪt/ , /æbz.ˈkwɑtʃ.ə.leɪt/

: , , Audio (US)

Verb [ edit ]

absquatulate (third-person singular simple present absquatulates, present participle absquatulating, simple past and past participle absquatulated)

( intransitive , slang ) To leave quickly or in a hurry; to depart, flee. [3] 1910, H. G. Wells, The history of Mr. Polly " [ … ] Now I see you again—I’m satisfied. I’m satisfied completely. See? I’m going to absquatulate, see? Hey Presto right away.”

He turned to his tea for a moment, finished his cup noisily, stood up. ( intransitive , slang ) to abscond.

Synonyms [ edit ]

( leave quickly ) : abscond decamp skedaddle vamoose

See Thesaurus:leave

Derived terms [ edit ]

Translations [ edit ]

See also [ edit ]

References [ edit ]