scuffle

scuffle
    n 1: disorderly fighting [syn: {hassle}, {scuffle}, {tussle},
         {dogfight}, {rough-and-tumble}]
    2: a hoe that is used by pushing rather than pulling [syn:
       {scuffle}, {scuffle hoe}, {Dutch hoe}]
    3: an unceremonious and disorganized struggle [syn: {scramble},
       {scuffle}]
    v 1: walk by dragging one's feet; "he shuffled out of the room";
         "We heard his feet shuffling down the hall" [syn:
         {shuffle}, {scuffle}, {shamble}]
    2: fight or struggle in a confused way at close quarters; "the
       drunken men started to scuffle" [syn: {scuffle}, {tussle}]
    

Scuffle \Scuf"fle\, n.
   1. A rough, haphazard struggle, or trial of strength; a
      disorderly wrestling at close quarters.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Hence, a confused contest; a tumultuous struggle for
      superiority; a fight.
      [1913 Webster]

            The dog leaps upon the serpent, and tears it to
            pieces; but in the scuffle the cradle happened to be
            overturned.                           --L'Estrange.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. A child's pinafore or bib. [Prov. Eng.]
      [1913 Webster]

   4. A garden hoe. [Prov. Eng.] --Halliwell.
      [1913 Webster]
    

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}.]
   1. To strive or struggle with a close grapple; to wrestle in
      a rough fashion.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Hence, to strive or contend tumultuously; to struggle
      confusedly or at haphazard.
      [1913 Webster]

            A gallant man had rather fight to great disadvantage
            in the field, in an orderly way, than scuffle with
            an undisciplined rabble.              --Eikon
                                                  Basilike.
      [1913 Webster]
    

149 Moby Thesaurus words for "scuffle":
      action, aerial combat, affray, agonize, amble, armored combat,
      barge, battle, battle royal, bobbery, bowl along, box, brawl,
      broil, brush, buffet, bullfight, bundle, clash, clash of arms,
      close, clump, cockfight, collide, combat, come to blows, conflict,
      contend, contest, cuff, cut and thrust, dogfight, drag, duel,
      embroilment, exchange blows, exchange of blows, fence, feud, fight,
      fight a duel, fire fight, flounce, foot, footslog, fracas, fray,
      give and take, give satisfaction, grapple, grapple with,
      ground combat, grunt and sweat, halt, hand-to-hand combat,
      hand-to-hand fight, hassle, hippety-hop, hitch, hobble, hop,
      house-to-house combat, huff and puff, jog, jolt, jostle, joust,
      jump, limp, lumber, lunge, lurch, mince, mix it up, naval combat,
      pace, paddle, passage of arms, peg, piaffe, piaffer,
      pitched battle, plod, prance, quarrel, rack, rassle, riot, roll,
      row, rumble, run a tilt, running fight, sashay, saunter, scramble,
      scrap, scrimmage, scuff, scuttle, set-to, shamble, shovel,
      shoving match, shuffle, sidle, single-foot, skip, skirmish, slink,
      slither, slog, slouch, spar, stagger, stalk, stamp, stand-up fight,
      stomp, straddle, straggle, street fight, stride, strive, stroll,
      struggle, strut, stump, swagger, swing, tauromachy,
      thrust and parry, tilt, tittup, toddle, totter, tourney, traipse,
      trip, trudge, tug-of-war, tussle, waddle, wage war, wamble, war,
      wiggle, wobble, wrestle