scruff

IPA/skrʌf/
IPA/skrʌf/

scruff — 名詞

  • scruffsingular
  • scruffsplural

1. the loose skin and fur on the rear part of an animal's neck, which a person can

1.名詞C1
釋義

頸背

動物頸後可抓握的鬆皮

the loose skin and fur on the rear part of an animal's neck, which a person can take hold of to lift or move the animal.

例句

Tariro lifted the kitten gently by the scruff of its neck.

Tariro 輕輕抓住小貓的頸背把牠提起來。

by the scruff of [possessive] neck for grabbing

The mother cat carried each tiny kitten by the scruff.

母貓一隻一隻地咬著頸背叼起每隻小貓。

常見搭配
  • grab by the scruff
  • lift by the scruff
  • the scruff of its neck
同義詞
  • nape

    the back of the neck in neutral, descriptive use; not tied to grabbing

  • neck

    the whole neck; 'scruff' points only to the loose skin at the back

文法句型

by the scruff of the/one's neck

用法筆記

Almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'by the scruff of the neck' (or 'of its/his/her neck'). Used of animals far more often than people; with people it suggests grabbing them roughly to control or remove them.

常見錯誤

She held the cat on the scruff.
She held the cat by the scruff of its neck.
the fixed phrase uses 'by', not 'on'.

2. someone who looks messy and unwashed, with dirty or careless clothes and a gener

2.名詞C2
釋義

邋遢鬼

穿著髒亂、外表不整潔的人

someone who looks messy and unwashed, with dirty or careless clothes and a generally neglected appearance.

例句

Niran turned up to the interview looking like a total scruff.

Niran 來面試時看起來活像個十足的邋遢鬼。

look like a scruff for a messy appearance

Esteban called his brother a scruff for never ironing his shirts.

Esteban 因為哥哥從不燙襯衫，就叫他邋遢鬼。

常見搭配
  • look like a scruff
  • a right scruff
同義詞
  • slob

    stresses laziness and mess together, often stronger and ruder

  • mess

    informal, as in 'he's a mess'; broader, can also mean emotionally troubled

用法筆記

Informal and chiefly British. Often mild or affectionate teasing rather than a serious insult. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense refers to a whole untidy person, never to a part of the neck.

常見錯誤

He is very scruff today.
He is a scruff today.' or 'He looks scruffy today.
'scruff' here is a noun; the adjective is 'scruffy'.

3. casual, shabby clothes that are too old or rough to wear for work, a special eve

3.名詞C2
釋義

破舊便服

破舊、不適合正式場合的便服

casual, shabby clothes that are too old or rough to wear for work, a special event, or any smart occasion.

例句

Saira spent her whole Sunday lounging at home in her scruff.

Saira 整個星期天都穿著破舊便服在家裡懶散度過。

in [possessive] scruff for old casual clothes

Christopher painted the fence in an old pair of scruff he kept in the shed.

Christopher 穿著放在工具間的一套破舊便服去漆圍籬。

常見搭配
  • in [one's] scruff
  • old scruff
同義詞
  • rags

    stresses torn, very worn-out clothing; harsher than 'scruff'

  • old clothes

    plain everyday phrase; 'scruff' adds an informal, slightly self-mocking tone

反義詞
  • Sunday best

    one's smartest clothes, kept for special occasions

用法筆記

Informal British, and fairly rare. Treated as uncountable, like 'old clothes'. Distinguish from sense 2: this names the clothes themselves, not the person wearing them.

常見錯誤

I wore a scruff to clean the garage.
I wore my scruff to clean the garage.
uncountable, so no 'a'; use a possessive instead.

同根字

  • scruffy
    形容詞B2
  • scruffily
    副詞C2
  • scruffiness
    名詞C2

常見搭配

名詞搭配

  • the scruff of the neck

常用片語

  • by the scruff of the neck
  • grab by the scruff

介系詞搭配

  • by the scruff of
  • in [one's] scruff