scruff

noun
UK: /skrʌf/
US: /skrʌf/

  1. The dirty or untidy surface of something.

    1. There's some scruff on his old shoes.
    2. The scruff on the abandoned car showed years of neglect and weathering.

  2. The back of the neck.

    1. The cat grabbed her kitten by the scruff.
    2. The mother dog gently carried her puppy by the scruff of its neck to safety.

  3. A rough, disreputable person.

    1. He looks like a bit of a scruff to me.
    2. That group of scruffs hanging around the corner are always causing trouble.

Synonyms

dirt grime neck back loafer slob
scruff transitive-verb

  1. To seize someone by the back of the neck, usually to control or restrain them.

    1. I scruffed the cat.
    2. She scruffed the misbehaving dog to stop it from jumping on the guests.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "scruff" in English means: The dirty or untidy surface of something., The back of the neck., A rough, disreputable person..

The phonetic transcription of "scruff" is /skrʌf/ in British English and /skrʌf/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "scruff": dirt, grime, neck, back, loafer, slob.

Example usage of "scruff": "There's some scruff on his old shoes.". More examples on the page.