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Scuffle   /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."





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


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"Scuffle" Quotes from Famous Books



... themselves as soon as the state of affairs was known; and before the rest of the crew were awake four men were ordered to man the boat and bring her alongside. The hatches were closed down with the rest of the crew still below, and if there was a scuffle two armed men were perfectly capable of keeping order. Smith and Tranter got into the boat, and were rowed ashore in safety. If the whole of the crew had tried to board her there is no doubt about it no one would have been saved, for there were a good many hands on the steamer, and the ...
— Peter and Jane - or The Missing Heir • S. (Sarah) Macnaughtan
... when, raising his axe, he was about to strike our servant on the head. Meanwhile another fellow seized a big stone, which I believe was going to make a target of the same head. Luckily I turned, and seeing the scuffle, I was out with my revolver in a moment, pointing it at the man with the axe. He understood my language, and made a hasty retreat. F—— said he had no doubt it would have gone badly with the groom if the distance ...
— Round About the Carpathians • Andrew F. Crosse
... by the sound of a drunken quarrel beneath her window. Some Breton evidently had begun to celebrate the Pardon too soon; a shrill woman's voice broke the silence with unintelligible reproaches. There was the sound of blows, of crashing glass, a scuffle, sobs,—then silence, broken now and again by fresh sobs. Ah, those men,—men!... The lamp in the Phare went out: it was dawn. Milly fell ...
— One Woman's Life • Robert Herrick
... twice such disputes as these brought on a scuffle; which passed off, however, without attracting much notice. About eight o'clock, for some unknown cause, an alarm-bell ...
— Grandfather's Chair • Nathaniel Hawthorne
... of one of the college buildings, a crowd of students waited amid jostlings and a loud buzz of talk. Suddenly a huge pair of doors flew open and a wedge of young men inserted itself boisterously and deeply into the throng. There was a great scuffle attended by a general banging of books upon heads. The two lower classes engaged in herculean play while members of the two higher classes, standing aloof, devoted themselves strictly to the encouragement of whichever party for a moment lost ground or ...
— Active Service • Stephen Crane


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