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Scruff

//skɹʌf// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Someone with an untidy appearance. countable, uncountable

    "That candidate will never get the job: he's a right scruff."

  2. 2
    The loose skin at the back of the neck of some animals.
  3. 3
    the back side of the neck wordnet
  4. 4
    Stubble, facial hair (on males). countable, uncountable
  5. 5
    The back of the neck, nape; also scruff of the neck. rare

    "He grabbed his unruly child by the scruff of the neck, and took him home."

Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    Crust. countable, obsolete, uncountable
  2. 7
    Scurf. countable, obsolete, uncountable
Verb
  1. 1
    To lift or carry by the scruff. transitive

    "She gently scruffed the kitten who was trying to climb her leg."

Etymology

Etymology 1

See scurf.

Etymology 2

1790, from earlier (1787) scuft and dialect scuff, influenced by scruff (“crust”). Related to North Frisian skuft (“back of the neck of a horse”) and Dutch schoft (“withers (of a horse)”), from Proto-Germanic. Compare also Old Norse skopt (“hair of the head”), Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌿𐍆𐍄 (skuft, “hair of the head”), Middle High German schopf (German Schopf).

Etymology 3

1790, from earlier (1787) scuft and dialect scuff, influenced by scruff (“crust”). Related to North Frisian skuft (“back of the neck of a horse”) and Dutch schoft (“withers (of a horse)”), from Proto-Germanic. Compare also Old Norse skopt (“hair of the head”), Gothic 𐍃𐌺𐌿𐍆𐍄 (skuft, “hair of the head”), Middle High German schopf (German Schopf).

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