SCUFFLE • DICCIONARIO INGLES.COM • Definition of Scuffle

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/skˈəfəl/ Listen

noun

Scuffle n.

1.

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

2.

Hence, a confused contest; a tumultuous struggle for superiority; a fight. "The dog leaps upon the serpent, and tears it to pieces; but in the scuffle the cradle happened to be overturned."

3.

A child's pinafore or bib. (Prov. Eng.)

4.

A garden hoe. (Prov. Eng.)

verb

Scuffle v. i. (past & past part. scuffled; pres. part. scuffling)

1.

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

2.

Hence, to strive or contend tumultuously; to struggle confusedly or at haphazard. "A gallant man had rather fight to great disadvantage in the field, in an orderly way, than scuffle with an undisciplined rabble."

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Etymology of 'Scuffle'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Scuffle" Quotes from Famous Books

... a kind of flannel wrapper which had not been changed since the night before; it was torn and soiled, and here and there smeared with blood, which had flowed in large quantities from a wound in her head; the white handkerchief had fallen off in the scuffle; and her grizzled hair fell in masses about her wild and deadly pale countenance. She appeared perfectly composed, however, and the only regret she expressed throughout, was at not having succeeded in her attempt, the object of which she did not pretend to conceal. ...

— Two Ghostly Mysteries - A Chapter in the History of a Tyrone Family; and The Murdered Cousin • Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

... severely for singing on the sabbath. He made no other reply than that of changing from a soft song, which he barely hummed, to the laughing song of Linco in Cymon, which he roared out obstreperously, by way of asserting his independence. A verbal scuffle ensued, which he still interlarded with bursts of song and laughter; the door of the room opened; the two gentlemen interfered, and calling him into the parlour, requested him to sing Linco's song through for them. He complied; they lavished encomiums ...

— The Mirror of Taste, and Dramatic Censor - Vol. I. No. 3. March 1810 • Various

... the Revenue schooner, 'and trouble is likely to come to the other poor fellows taken, for Lawyer Empson says three of them will surely hang at next Assize. I recollect', he went on, 'thirty years ago, when there was a bit of a scuffle between the Royal Sophy and the Marnhull, they hanged four of the contrabandiers, and my old father caught his death of cold what with going to see the poor chaps turned off at Dorchester, and standing up to his knees in the river Frome to get a sight of them, for all the countryside ...

— Moonfleet • J. Meade Falkner

... a scuffle; they will send the bailiff to his ell, and Frank to the dungeon," whispered Skeleton to the Cripple, "we shall ...

— Mysteries of Paris, V3 • Eugene Sue

... discovering this litter. When looking down a rabbit-hole I heard a scuffle. A young cub came up to the mouth of the hole, saw me, and dashed back again into the earth. This was the smallest place I ever saw cubs laid up in. The vixen happened to be ...

— A Cotswold Village • J. Arthur Gibbs

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