To shuck means to remove the outer covering from something, particularly food. When you shuck corn, you pull away the green leaves and silk threads to get to the yellow kernels underneath. When you shuck oysters or clams, you pry open the hard shells to reach the soft meat inside. Peanuts and peas also grow in shells that need to be shucked before eating.

The word comes from farm life, where shucking corn was a common chore, sometimes done as a social activity with neighbors helping each other. Today, restaurants employ skilled oyster shuckers who can open shellfish quickly and safely with a special knife.

The outer coverings themselves are also called shucks. When something disappointing happens, people sometimes say “aw, shucks!” as a mild expression of frustration or embarrassment. It's a gentle, old-fashioned way to show disappointment without using stronger language.