scruff Meaning & Definition
What Does Scruff Mean?
Scruff is used as a noun meaning Someone with an untidy appearance. It can also mean Stubble, facial hair (on males). As a verb, it means To lift or carry by the scruff.
Scruff at a Glance
| Part of speech | noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //skɹʌf// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | nape, nucha and nuchal |
| Plural | scruffs |
| Verb forms | scruffs, scruffing, scruffed |
Scruff Definition (Noun)
- Someone with an untidy appearance.
That candidate will never get the job: he's a right scruff.
- Stubble, facial hair (on males).
- Crust.
- Scurf.
Noun
- The loose skin at the back of the neck of some animals.
- The back of the neck, nape; also scruff of the neck.
He grabbed his unruly child by the scruff of the neck, and took him home.
Scruff as a Verb
- To lift or carry by the scruff.
Synonyms of Scruff
Scruff synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Scruff
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Scruff in a Sentence
That candidate will never get the job: he's a right scruff.
He grabbed his unruly child by the scruff of the neck, and took him home.
He grabbed his unruly kid by the scruff of the neck, and took him home.
Word Forms & Grammar
scruff (countable and uncountable, plural scruffs)
scruff (plural scruffs)
scruff (third-person singular simple present scruffs, present participle scruffing, simple past and past participle scruffed)
Words That Rhyme With Scruff
Origin of Scruff
Origin 1: See scurf.
Origin 2: 1790, from earlier (1787) scuft and dialect scuff, influenced by scruff (“crust”).
Origin 3: 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).[1]
How Do You Say Scruff?
The standard pronunciation of scruff is //skɹʌf//, spoken in 1 syllable.
Questions People Ask About Scruff
Is scruff a noun or a verb?
Scruff is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb.
What is another word for scruff?
Words with a similar meaning to scruff include nape, nucha and nuchal. See the full list of scruff synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of scruff?
The plural of scruff is scruffs.
What is the past tense of scruff?
The past tense of scruff is scruffed. The present participle is scruffing.