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Scruff vs Tuck - What's the difference?

scruff | tuck |

As nouns the difference between scruff and tuck

is that scruff is someone with an untidy appearance or scruff can be the loose skin at the back of the neck of some animals while tuck is an act of tucking ; a pleat or fold or tuck can be (archaic) a rapier, a sword or tuck can be the beat of a drum or tuck can be food, especially snack food.

As verbs the difference between scruff and tuck

is that scruff is to lift or carry by the scruff while tuck is (lb) to pull or gather up (an item of fabric).

scruff

English

Etymology 1

Noun

(en noun)
  • Someone with an untidy appearance
    • That candidate will never get the job: he's a right scruff .
  • stubble, facial hair (on males)
  • (obsolete) crust
  • (obsolete) scurf
    • Derived terms
    * scruffy

    Etymology 2

    1790, from earlier (1787) (m), influenced by

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The loose skin at the back of the neck of some animals.
  • (rare) The back of the neck, nape; also scruff of the neck .
    • He grabbed his unruly kid by the scruff of the neck , and took him home.
    Usage notes
    Strictly refers to the loose skin at the back of the neck – found on many mammals, though not humans – rather than the back of the neck itself. While this distinction is not always observed, scruff is used almost exclusively in the phrase “to grab [someone/something] by the scruff [of the neck]”.
    Synonyms
    * (l) * (l), (l) (medical) * (l) (of a horse)

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To lift or carry by the scruff .

    • See also

    * (l)

    References

    tuck

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) . More at touch.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (lb) To pull or gather up (an item of fabric).
  • (lb) To push into a snug position; to place somewhere safe or somewhat hidden.
  • :
  • *
  • *:It was flood-tide along Fifth Avenue; motor, brougham, and victoria swept by on the glittering current; pretty women glanced out from limousine and tonneau; young men of his own type, silk-hatted, frock-coated, the crooks of their walking sticks tucked up under their left arms, passed on the Park side.
  • (lb) To fit neatly.
  • :
  • To curl into a ball; to fold up and hold one's legs.
  • :
  • To sew folds; to make a tuck or tucks in.
  • :
  • To full, as cloth.
  • To conceal one’s genitals, as with a gaff or by fastening them down with adhesive tape.
  • :
  • (lb) To keep the thumb in position while moving the rest of the hand over it to continue playing keys that are outside the thumb.
    • Antonyms
    * untuck
    Derived terms
    * tuck away * tuck in * tuck into * nip and tuck

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An act of tucking ; a pleat or fold.
  • (sewing) A fold in fabric that has been stitched in place from end to end, as to reduce the overall dimension of the fabric piece.
  • A curled position.
  • (medicine, surgery) A plastic surgery technique to remove excess skin.
  • (music, piano, when playing scales on piano keys) The act of keeping the thumb in position while moving the rest of the hand over it to continue playing keys that are outside the thumb.
  • (diving) A curled position, with the shins held towards the body.
    • Related terms
    * tucker

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (archaic) A rapier, a sword.
  • * 1663 , (Hudibras) , by (Samuel Butler), part 1,
    • [...] with force he labour'd / To free's blade from retentive scabbard; / And after many a painful pluck, / From rusty durance he bail'd tuck [...]
    (Shakespeare)
  • * Sir Walter Scott
    • He wore large hose, and a tuck , as it was then called, or rapier, of tremendous length.

    Etymology 3

    Compare tocsin.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The beat of a drum.

    • Etymology 4

    (etyl) .

    Noun

    (-)
  • Food, especially snack food.
    • Derived terms
    * tuck shop * tuck box * tuck in ----