scupper, 1917

[Marc Velasco]

>
> I have no evidence pro or con, but I find it easy to imagine British
> sailors metaphoring "to be
> killed" as "to be poured through the scupper".
>


It may be likely that the 'kill' usage came from the usage below which
effectively 'kills' a ship:

*Verb
2*. to sink (one's ship) deliberately [origin unknown]

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