scruff
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
The back part of the neck seized by the adversary in an encounter. "I seized him by the SCRUFF of the neck, and chucked him out." Originally SCURF.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “scruff” mean?
The back part of the neck seized by the adversary in an encounter. "I seized him by the SCRUFF of the neck, and chucked him out." Originally SCURF.
Is “scruff” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.