scuffle Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun disorderly fighting
    tussle; dogfight; hassle; rough-and-tumble.
  2. noun a hoe that is used by pushing rather than pulling
    scuffle hoe; Dutch hoe.
  3. noun an unceremonious and disorganized struggle
    scramble.
  4. verb walk by dragging one's feet
    shuffle; shamble.
    • he shuffled out of the room
    • We heard his feet shuffling down the hall
  5. verb fight or struggle in a confused way at close quarters
    tussle.
    • the drunken men started to scuffle

WordNet

Scuf"fle intransitive verb
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.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Scuffled ; present participle & verbal noun Scuffling
Definitions
  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. Eikon Basilike.
Scuf"fle noun
Definitions
  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. L'Estrange.
  3. A child's pinafore or bib. Prov. Eng.
  4. A garden hoe. Prov. Eng. Halliwell.

Webster 1913