Definition

1. Verb:

   • To drag or scrape one's feet while walking.
   • To become scratched, worn, or marked on the surface, especially on the toe or heel of a shoe.
   • To poke or strike something lightly with the foot.

2. Noun:

   • The act or sound of dragging the feet.
   • A mark or scratch made by scraping or wear.
   • A type of backless, flat slipper.

Examples

• Verb:

  • Don't scuff your new shoes on the pavement.
  • The floor was scuffed by the heavy furniture being moved.
  • He scuffed at the dirt with his toe while he thought.

• Noun:

  • I could hear the scuff of his boots in the hallway.
  • There's a noticeable scuff on the leather of the chair.
  • She wore comfortable scuffs around the house.

Advanced Usage

• "to scuff up": To make something, especially a surface or shoes, scratched or marked.

  • The kids managed to scuff up the newly polished floor.

• "to scuff along": To walk while dragging one's feet, often indicating a particular mood.

  • He scuffed along dejectedly after hearing the bad news.

Variants and Related Words

• Scuffed (adj): Describing something that is marked or scratched from being scraped.

  • He wore a pair of old, scuffed boots.

• Scuffing (n): The action or result of scuffing.

  • The scuffing on the door was from the dog's claws.

Synonyms

• Verb: Scrape, drag, shuffle, graze, abrade.
• Noun: Scratch, scrape, mark, shuffle, slipper.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Scuff up: To cause scratches or marks on a surface.
  • Be careful not to scuff up the walls with that ladder.

Related Idioms

• No direct common idioms feature the word "scuff" in isolation. However, the action is often associated with expressions of reluctance or dejection, as in "to scuff one's feet."

Noun

1. the act of scuffing (scraping or dragging the feet)
2. a slipper that has no fitting around the heel

Verb

1. poke at with the foot or toe
2. mar by scuffing
   • scuffed shoes
3. get or become scuffed
   • These patent leather shoes scuffed
4. walk without lifting the feet