1. an opening in a ship’s side to allow water to drain from the deck
Usage: nautical

1. to deliberately cause something to fail or be ruined
Usage: informal

Examples

• The scuppers were clogged with debris after the storm.
• Water flowed freely through the ship’s scuppers.
• The rival company tried to scupper the merger deal.
• Bad weather threatened to scupper our vacation plans.
• The scandal could scupper his chances of promotion.
• They accused him of trying to scupper the negotiations.