scuff
/skʌf
/verb [with object]
1Scrape or brush the surface of (a shoe or other object) against something: I accidentally scuffed the heel of one shoe on a paving stone...
- I'm talking carefully ripped jeans, studiously scuffed shoes, lovingly tousled hair and, for guys, cultivated stubble (this isn't so great on chicks).
- Sami looks down and scuffs his shoes on the concrete floor.
- For every Record Collector, LP paranoia eventually sets in and the beloved becomes a monster, desperate to scratch and scuff the poor helpless vinyl.
Synonyms
scrape, rub, drag, brush, scratch, graze, abrade, rasp, lacerate, chafe, roughen
1.1Mark (a surface) by scraping or brushing it, especially with one’s shoes: the lino on the floor was scuffed...
- He shoves his hands into his pockets and scuffs the floor with his shoe.
- At the same time, he takes care to scuff his compositions with small marks, so that the studied perfection of his geometry is offset by the imperfection of the scratch or splotch on the surface that can recall timeworn linoleum floors.
- Eve took off her shoes so she wouldn't scuff that glorious floor.
1.2 [no object] (Of an object or surface) become marked by scraping or brushing: for kids who play rough, shoes that won’t scuff...
- Why pay attention to something that's just going to get scuffed up?
- Both sets of impressions are scuffed, which, along with the two tight curves, suggests the animals were moving rapidly, says Monks.
- You needed a long bar, made of some dark aged wood, all nicked and scuffed smooth along its edges.
1.3Drag (one’s feet or heels) when walking: he scuffed his feet boyishly...
- They talk for a moment, scuff their feet, and eventually shakes hands and smile.
- Smith flashes a smile and scuffs his foot across a swath of browned grass where Greene and the other sprinters had vomited.
- The middle child of the New Zealand arts scene, our literature scuffs its toes at the edges of the playground, watching the fun and hoping that someone will take it home to love it.
1.4 [no object, with adverbial of direction] Walk while dragging one’s feet or heels: she scuffed along in her carpet slippers...
- Every now and then, I watched as his feet kicked and scuffed along the ground.
- However, her mouth was shut, but her feet scuffed along the ground.
- His feet scuffed along the vividly colorful grass, it seemed a little too perfect here.
noun
A mark made by scraping or grazing a surface or object: dark colours don’t show scuffs...
- The floor of the basement is decorated with a pattern of coloured lino, like a giant green snowflake, marked with black scuffs where bored rats have performed stunts in empty carts.
- Nevertheless, life goes on, and time marches forward, even if it leaves its scuff marks on our bruised and tattered bodies, its foot prints on our souls.
- Mugolo could tell from the length of the scuff marks on the rock and later, where the rider had to cross some soft ground, the length of the stride.
Origin
Early 18th century: perhaps of imitative origin.
scruff from early 16th century:
As an insult for a person with a dirty or untidy appearance, scruff is an alteration of scurf (Old English), meaning dandruff or a similar skin condition, which comes from the same root as Old English words meaning ‘to gnaw’ and ‘to shred’. The reversal of letters from scurf to scruff is also seen in bird and dirt, originally brid and drit. The scruff of the neck was originally the scuff—the word is recorded from the late 18th century, but its origin is obscure.
Rhymes
- hot-water pipe
- hot water tank
- hot wave
- hot well
- hot wind
- hot wing
- hot-wire
- hot work
- hot working
- hot yoga
- houbara
- houbara bustard
- Houdini, Harry
- hough
- Houma
- parallelogramical
- parallelogramish
- parallelogrammatic
- parallelogrammatical
- parallelogrammic
- parallelogram of forces
- parallelometer
- parallelopipedal
- parallelopipedon
- parallel parking