scuffle Hear it!

scuffle Definition

scuf·fle (skufəl)

intransitive verb -·fled, -·fling

  1. to struggle or fight in rough confusion
  2. to move in a confused hurry or bustle
  3. to drag the feet; shuffle
  4. Informal to try hard but with little or no success; specif., to struggle to survive

Etymology: freq. of scuff

noun

  1. a rough, confused fight; close, haphazard struggle
  2. the act or sound of feet shuffling

scuffle Synonyms

scuffle

n.

scuffle Usage Examples

Object

  • noise: A key turned in a lock, and as he passed in there was a curious scuffling noise from within.
  • sound: A kind of scuffling sound, made by something that moved.

Converse of object

  • hear: I turned round to adjust my mittens, I think, when I heard a slight scuffle but no cry.
  • have: For example the other day I had a scuffle outside the police station some people pushed me.
  • see: During a chase a man who had seen the scuffle asked the store detective if he needed a hand.
  • spark: Temperatures became frayed and a challenge on McNamara by Winter sparked a 14-man scuffle, the Rovers player being booked.
  • involve: The latter show up as red dots on your radar, and usually involve scuffles between criminals and the public or the police.
  • start: They started a scuffle, during which she received a fatal wound to her throat.

Preposition: between

  • player: Referee Walsh has given the Lions a penalty for offside, but after a brief scuffle between the players, the penalty is reversed.

Adjective modifier

  • minor: About a year ago he got involved in a minor scuffle outside the school gates.
  • brief: Referee Walsh has given the Lions a penalty for offside, but after a brief scuffle between the players, the penalty is reversed.
  • short: In a short scuffle the hero knocks out the baddie with a single punch.
  • few: People easily pushed passed and legged it down the road with a few more scuffles breaking out.
  • several: It was complete chaos and there were several scuffles with the riot Police and the mounted Police just causing more and more problems.
  • small: She was in a club on George Street when a small scuffle broke out.

Noun used with modifier

  • playground: It would be hard to imagine a playground scuffle breaking out over her let alone a full-scale war.

Preposition: with

  • police: Scuffles with Turkish police and banned by UEFA for four European games.
  • officer: At 4.45 a young black was arrested outside a minicab office in Atlantic Road after a scuffle with a plain clothes police officer.
  • guard: Zoom Fawkes scuffles with guards in this dramatic nineteenth century painting depicting the moment of discovery.

Browse dictionary entries near scuffle

  1. scuff
  2. scudo
  3. scud
  4. scuba diving
  5. scuba
  6. ScTP
  7. SCSI
  8. scry
  9. scrutiny
  10. scrutinize
  1. scuffle hoe
  2. scull
  3. scullery
  4. scullion
  5. sculp
  6. sculpin
  7. sculpsit
  8. sculpt
  9. sculptor
  10. sculptress