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scrimmage Definition

scrim·mage (skrimij)

noun

  1. a rough-and-tumble fight; tussle; confused struggle
  2. Football
    1. line of scrimmage
    2. play that begins with the snap from center, with both teams positioned on the line of scrimmage
  3. Rugby scrum
  4. Sports a practice session or game between two different teams or two units of the same team

Etymology: altered < skirmish

intransitive verb, transitive verb -·maged, -·mag·ing

to take part in a scrimmage (against)

scrimmage Related Forms
scrim·mager noun
scrimmage Synonyms

scrimmage

n.

struggle, confusion, scramble, scuffle, scrap*; see also fight 1.

scrimmage Usage Examples

Adjective modifier

  • regular: Well, brother, without many words, there was a regular scrimmage.

Modifies a noun

  • game: Cheadle midfielder Paul Flowers scored five goals as the national side defeated Columbus Club 11-9 in their first scrimmage game on foreign soil.
scrimmage Quotes

What happens when a game of football is proposed at Christmas among a party of young men assembled from different schools? Alas!† The Eton man is enamoured of his own rules, and turns up his nose at Rugbyas not sufficiently aristocratic; while the Rugbeian retorts that 'bullying'and 'sneaking'are not to his taste, and he is not afraid of his shins, or of a 'maul'or 'scrimmage'.On hearing this the Harrovian pricks up his ears, and though he might previously have sided with Rugby, the insinuation against the courage of those who do not allow 'shinning'arouses his ire, and causes him to refuse to lay with one who has offered it. Thus it is found impossible to get up a game.

—Anonymous

Browse dictionary entries near scrimmage

  1. scrim
  2. scribe
  3. scribbler
  4. scribble
  5. scribal
  6. Scriabin
  7. screwy
  8. screwworm
  9. screwed
  10. screwdriver
  1. scrimp
  2. scrimpy
  3. scrimshaw
  4. scrip
  5. scrip dividend
  6. scripophily
  7. Scripps
  8. scripsit
  9. script
  10. scripting