What does scuffle mean?

Definitions for scuffle
ˈskʌf əlscuf·fle

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word scuffle.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. hassle, scuffle, tussle, dogfight, rough-and-tumblenoun

    disorderly fighting

  2. scuffle, scuffle hoe, Dutch hoenoun

    a hoe that is used by pushing rather than pulling

  3. scramble, scuffleverb

    an unceremonious and disorganized struggle

  4. shuffle, scuffle, shambleverb

    walk by dragging one's feet

    "he shuffled out of the room"; "We heard his feet shuffling down the hall"

  5. scuffle, tussleverb

    fight or struggle in a confused way at close quarters

    "the drunken men started to scuffle"

Wiktionary

  1. scufflenoun

    A rough disorderly fight or struggle at close quarters

  2. scufflenoun

    A Dutch hoe, manipulated by both pushing and pulling

  3. scuffleverb

    To fight or struggle confusedly at close quarters.

  4. scuffleverb

    To walk with a shuffling gait.

  5. Etymology: Possibly of Scandinavian origin. Compare Swedish skuff and skuffa, from the Germanic base *.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Scufflenoun

    A confused quarrel; a tumultuous broil.

    Etymology: This word is derived by Stephen Skinner from shuffle.

    His captain’s heart,
    In the scuffles of great fights hath burst
    The buckles on his breast. William Shakespeare, Ant. and Cleopatra.

    Avowed atheists, placing themselves in the seat of the scorner, take much pleasing divertisement, by deriding our eager scuffles about that which they think nothing. Decay of Piety.

    The dog leaps upon the serpent, and tears it to pieces; but in the scuffle the cradle happened to be overturned. Roger L'Estrange.

    Popish missionaries mix themselves in these dark scuffles, and animate the mob to such outrages and insults. Addison.

  2. To Scuffleverb

    To fight confusedly and tumultuously.

    Etymology: from the noun.

    I must confess I’ve seen, in former days,
    The best knights in the world, and scuffled in some frays. Michael Drayton.

    A gallant man had rather fight to great disadvantages in the field, in an orderly way, than scuffle with an undisciplined rabble. Charles I .

ChatGPT

  1. scuffle

    A scuffle is a short, chaotic and typically unplanned fight or struggle, often involving a small amount of people, characterized by its lack of seriousness or clear rules or structure. It can also refer to a state of disorder or confusion. Additionally, it can refer to the sound or action of moving with a shuffling or scrabbling sound.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Scuffleverb

    to strive or struggle with a close grapple; to wrestle in a rough fashion

  2. Scuffleverb

    hence, to strive or contend tumultuously; to struggle confusedly or at haphazard

  3. Scufflenoun

    a rough, haphazard struggle, or trial of strength; a disorderly wrestling at close quarters

  4. Scufflenoun

    hence, a confused contest; a tumultuous struggle for superiority; a fight

  5. Scufflenoun

    a child's pinafore or bib

  6. Scufflenoun

    a garden hoe

  7. Etymology: [Freq. of scuff, v.i.; cf. Sw. skuffa to push, shove, skuff a push, Dan. skuffe a drawer, a shovel, and E. shuffle, shove. See Shove, and cf. Shuffle.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary

  1. Scuffle

    skuf′l, v.i. to struggle closely: to fight confusedly.—n. a struggle in which the combatants grapple closely: any confused contest.—n. Scuff′ler, one who, or that which, scuffles. [A freq. of Sw. skuffa, to shove, skuff, a blow.]

Dictionary of Nautical Terms

  1. scuffle

    A confused and disorderly contention-- "Then friends and foes to battle they goes; But what they all fights about--nobody knows."

Rap Dictionary

  1. scufflenoun

    A small fight between 2 or more people Me and my dawg got in a scuffle with some punks the other day

Matched Categories

How to pronounce scuffle?

How to say scuffle in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of scuffle in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of scuffle in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

Examples of scuffle in a Sentence

  1. Charge Emmerson Buie Jr.:

    To date none of the more than 650 interviews completed, locations searched, or evidence collected and analyzed have produced evidence that would support the existence of a scuffle, altercation, or attack on November 18, 2017.

  2. Steve Upham:

    The two had words and a little scuffle broke out, it lasted less than two minutes.

  3. John Price:

    They heard a scuffle in the classroom right across from where they were working and it sounded like a fight. So( my son) opened the door and the guy lunged at him.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

scuffle#10000#83098#100000

Translations for scuffle

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

  • شجارArabic
  • raufen, schlurfen, Rauferei, Handgemenge, balgenGerman
  • reñir, riña, azada holandesaSpanish
  • kahakoida, nujakka, kahakka, nujakoida, kahista, käsirysy, kitkuttaa, kitkutella, laahustaa, kituuttaa, kahinaFinnish
  • binette, échauffourée, rixeFrench
  • csoszogHungarian
  • baruffa, rissa, zuffaItalian
  • schermutseling, schoffel, schelden, handgemeen, scheldpartij, roepen, schermutselingenDutch
  • bójkaPolish
  • стычка, шаркать, драка, дратьсяRussian
  • slagsmål, handgemängSwedish

Get even more translations for scuffle »

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"scuffle." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/scuffle>.

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