:eek:
Is skidaddle a word? and if it is, what is the origin?
Here’s what I’ve got so far:
But that doesn’t answer your second question. I’ll check the OED shortly and get back to you if nobody beats me to it.
Quoth the Oxford English Dictionary, compact edition:
The editors quote another source:
but immediately debunk it:
So, as nearly as they can tell, someone made it up. 
Mods, please forgive if I have again nuzzled up to the limits of acceptable use.
Word Origins dates it to 1861, but doesn’t have anything more to offer… not that I would expect this website to surpass the OED.
And will someone please tell me where my manners are?
Welcome to the SDMB, brazenSuzi! Enjoy your stay!
The Word Mavens at Random House suggest a possible Irish origin, or perhaps military slang:
Except that the Irish word it suggests as an origin (“sgedadol”) doesn’t appear in any of my sources. It looks more like Scots Gaelic than Irish, but I don’t see it in my SG sources either. Could be an obsolete word, but Google’s never heard of it either. So I think maybe we can strike off that theory.
Ahh thank you for your help everyone.
…and thank you kneedToKnow for the welcome
A couple of the previous links mention the US Civil War, but I would say the word had to be in common use before the war. The panicky Union retreat from the first battle of Bull Run was lampooned in the press as “The Great Skedaddle.” That was the first major battle of the war. The word must have already been part of popular speech before the war, or the press wouldn’t have used it in describing the first battle.
The war may have reinforced the use of the word, but it doesn’t look like the war gave birth to it.