scupper

scup-per

verb

To ruin or cause to fail; to thwart.

"The bad weather scuppered our plans for a picnic."

noun

An opening in a ship's side to allow water to drain away.

"The deck was awash, but the scuppers were doing their job."

Thesaurus

Synonyms: queer, peril, endanger, expose, bushwhack, waylay, lie in wait, ambush, ambuscade, lurk