scuttlebutts
Idle talk spreads
Scuttlebutts is the plural of scuttlebutt, which has two connected meanings.
A scuttlebutt was originally a cask of drinking water on a ship—the place where sailors gathered and gossiped.
From this, scuttlebutt came to mean rumors or gossip itself: The scuttlebutt around the office is that layoffs are coming.
The word retains a slightly nautical or military flavor.
rumors
Unconfirmed circulating stories
- hearsayUnverified secondhand information
- whispersSpeaks very quietly
- gossipInformal talk spreading rumors
tittle-tattle · chatter · buzz · speculation · tales · stories · idle talk · grapevine · chitchat · murmurs
drinking fountain
Public water dispenser
crew · mess · galley · berthing · quarters · navy · enlisted · shipmates · wardroom · bulkhead
scuttlebuttstruths
Accurate statements about reality
facts · hard facts · hard news · certainties · realities
scuttlebuttsofficial reports
Documented statements from authorities
press releases · public records · communiqués · white papers · sworn testimony