Etymology : probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish skuffa to push
Pronunciation : 'sk&-f&l
Function : intransitive verb
Date : 1590
1. quarrel, minor fight, altercation. quarrel, engage in a minor fight. scuffle\scuf"fle\ , v. i. [imp. & p. p. scuffled ; p. pr. & vb. n. scuffling .] [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.].
2. to strive or struggle with a close grapple; to wrestle in a rough fashion.
3. 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.scuffle \scuf"fle\, n.
4. a rough, haphazard struggle, or trial of strength; a disorderly wrestling at close quarters.
5. 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.
6. a child's pinafore or bib. [prov. eng.].
7. a garden hoe. [prov. eng.]scuffle n.
8. disorderly fighting [syn: hassle, tussle, rough-and-tumble].
9. a hoe that is used by pushing rather than pulling [syn: scuffle hoe , dutch hoe].
10. an unceremonious and disorganized struggle [syn: scramble] v 1: walk by dragging one's feet; "he shuffled out of the room"; "we heard his feet shuffling down the hall" [syn: shuffle, shamble] 2: fight or struggle in a confused way at close quarters; "the drunken men started to scuffle" [syn: tussle] 3: fight or wrestle in a vigorous way [syn: tussle].
11. To strive or struggle with a close grapple; to wrestle in a rough fashion.
12. Hence, to strive or contend tumultuously; to struggle confusedly or at haphazard.
13. A rough, haphazard struggle, or trial of strength; a disorderly wrestling at close quarters.
14. Hence, a confused contest; a tumultuous struggle for superiority; a fight.
15. A child's pinafore or bib.
16. A garden hoe. a hoe that is used by pushing rather than pulling fight or struggle in a confused way at close quarters; "the drunken men started to scuffle".
17. 1. A scuffle is a short, disorganized fight or struggle. Violent scuffles broke out between rival groups demonstrating for and against independence.
18. If people scuffle, they fight for a short time in a disorganized way. Police scuffled with some of the protesters He and Hannah had been scuffling in the yard outside his house. a short fight that is not very violent (Probably from a language).