shuck
UK[ʃʌk]US[ʃʌk]
v
To remove the shell or outer covering from something, especially from shellfish or corn.
v
(informal) To take off an article of clothing.
n
The outer covering, such as a husk or shell, of some nuts, seeds, or shellfish.
Etymology
The origin of 'shuck' is uncertain but it is likely an alteration of the earlier English word 'shock,' meaning a bundle of sheaves of grain, which in turn may derive from Middle Dutch. The semantic shift moved from the idea of a husk or pod (like that enclosing grain) to the act of removing such a covering. By the late 17th century, it was specifically applied to removing oyster shells. Its informal use for removing clothing emerged in American English in the 20th century, extending the core idea of stripping off an outer layer.
Analysis
This word is considered unsegmentable into distinct, meaningful morphemes within modern English spelling. It functions as a simplex word.
Examples
It took him a while to shuck all the oysters for the stew.
He sat on the porch and helped shuck the fresh corn.
She shucked off her wet jacket as soon as she came inside.