scuffle — a short, confused fight or struggle at close quarters
Part of speech: NOUN
Definition: a short, confused fight or struggle at close quarters
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈskʌf.əl/
Example Sentences
- The two cats had a brief scuffle over the last piece of tuna.
- What started as a friendly debate turned into a scuffle in the cafeteria.
- The security guards quickly broke up the scuffle between the shoppers during the Black Friday sale.
scuffle
NOUN[/ˈskʌf.əl/]
a short, confused fight or struggle at close quarters
Two street vendors break into a scuffle over the last basket of mangoes.
They scuffle and shuffle for the truffle!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Scuffle originated in the 16th century from Swedish 'skuffa', meaning 'to push'. The word evolved to describe a disorderly struggle or fight involving pushing and pulling between people.
Breakdown
skuffa (Swedish: to push) → scuffle; the suffix -le functions as a frequentative, indicating repeated or continuous action.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The two cats had a brief scuffle over the last piece of tuna.”
“What started as a friendly debate turned into a scuffle in the cafeteria.”
“The security guards quickly broke up the scuffle between the shoppers during the Black Friday sale.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.