different between scruff vs unkempt

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sk??f/
• Rhymes: -?f

Etymology 1

See scurf.

Noun

scruff (countable and uncountable, plural scruffs)

1. Someone with an untidy appearance.

2. Stubble, facial hair (on males).
3. (obsolete) Crust.
4. (obsolete) Scurf.

Derived terms

• scruffy

Translations

Etymology 2

1790, from earlier (1787) scuft, influenced by scruff (“crust”). Related to North Frisian skuft (“back of the neck of a horse”) and Dutch schoft (“withers (of a horse)”), from Proto-Germanic. Compare also Old Norse skopt (“hair of the head”), Gothic ???????????????????? (skuft, “hair of the head”), Middle High German schopf (German Schopf).

Noun

scruff (plural scruffs)

1. The loose skin at the back of the neck of some animals.
2. (rare) The back of the neck, nape; also scruff of the neck.

   He grabbed his unruly child 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

• nape
• nucha, nuchal (medical)
• withers (of a horse)

Translations

Verb

scruff (third-person singular simple present scruffs, present participle scruffing, simple past and past participle scruffed)

1. To lift or carry by the scruff.

See also

• scuff

References

English

Alternative forms

• uncompt (obsolete)

Etymology

From earlier unkembed, unkemmed, from Middle English unkempt (“uncombed”), equivalent to un- +? kempt. Compare Old Norse úkembdr (uncombed; unkempt"; > Icelandic ókembdur), German ungekämmt (“unkempt”), Dutch ongekamd. More at kemb.

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /??n?k?mpt/
• Rhymes: -?mpt
• Hyphenation: un?kempt

Adjective

unkempt (comparative more unkempt, superlative most unkempt)

1. (of hair) Uncombed; dishevelled.
2. (by extension) Disorderly; untidy; messy; not kept up.
3. (figuratively) Rough; unpolished

Synonyms

• dishevelled
• slovenly

Translations

References

• James A. H. Murray [et al.], editors (1884–1928) , “Uncompt”, in A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles (Oxford English Dictionary), volume X, Part 1 (Ti–U), London: Clarendon Press, OCLC 15566697, page 95, column 1.