scrum
[ skruhm ]
/ skrʌm /
noun
a Rugby play in which, typically, three members of each team line up opposite one another with a group of two and a group of three players behind them, making an eight-person, three-two-three formation on each side; the ball is then rolled between the opposing front lines, the players of which stand with arms around a teammate's waist, meeting the opponent shoulder to shoulder, and attempt to kick the ball backward to a teammate.
British. a place or situation of confusion and racket; hubbub.
verb (used without object), scrummed, scrum·ming.
to engage in a scrum.
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Also scrummage (for defs. 1, 3).
Origin of scrum
First recorded in 1885–90; short for scrummage
Words nearby scrum
scrub typhus, scrub-up, scrubwoman, scruff, scruffy, scrum, scrum half, scrummage, scrummie, scrummy, scrump
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for scrum
British Dictionary definitions for scrum
scrum
/ (skrʌm) /
noun
rugby the act or method of restarting play after an infringement when the two opposing packs of forwards group together with heads down and arms interlocked and push to gain ground while the scrum half throws the ball in and the hookers attempt to scoop it out to their own team. A scrum is usually called by the referee (set scrum) but may be formed spontaneously (loose scrum)
informal a disorderly struggle
verb scrums, scrumming or scrummed
(intr usually foll by down) rugby to form a scrum
Word Origin for scrum
C19: shortened from scrummage
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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