scallop

/ˈskɑləp/

Etymology

From Old French escalope (“shell”). Doublet of escalope. Related to scale and shell.

noun

  1. Any of various marine bivalve molluscs of the superfamily Pectinoidea.
  2. One of a series of curves, forming an edge similar to a scallop shell, especially in knitting and crochet.“A coral rose, its petals unfolded in scallop around the tight inner bud”
  3. A fillet of meat, escalope.
  4. A battered and deep-fried round potato slice.
  5. A sautéed potato (a shallow-fried round potato slice).
  6. A dish shaped like a scallop shell.

verb

  1. To create or form an edge in the shape of a crescent or multiple crescents.“We can scallop coastlines to make them longer to serve more people.”
  2. To bake in a casserole (gratin), originally in a scallop shell; especially used in form scalloped“I stewed them, made them into soup, and crowned all my efforts by a grand success in scalloping them, deceiving every one into the belief that they were eating oysters.”
  3. To harvest scallops“He has never wanted to live anywhere but the Island, he says, where he can scallop or ice-boat in winter, depending on his mood; hunt bluebills and deer in season; look after his cows and his sheep.”