scurf en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /skɜː(ɹ)f/
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
From scurf (“skin disease causing scabs or scales; flakes of skin that fall off due to a skin disease, etc.”), from Old English scurf, from Proto-Germanic *skurf- (“to gnaw”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker- (“to cut off, sever; to divide, separate”). Cognate with Dutch schurft, German Schorf, Danish skurv, Swedish skorv.
Meanings
- (countable, uncountable) A skin disease.
- (countable, uncountable) The flakes of skin that fall off as a result of a skin disease.
-
(countable, uncountable) Any crust-like formations on the skin, or in general.
There ſtood a Hill not far whoſe frieſly top / Belch'd fire and rowling ſmoak; the reſt entire / Shon with a gloſſie ſcurff, undoubted ſign / That in his womb was hid metallic Ore,
1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 670–673:
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(countable, figuratively, uncountable) The foul remains of anything adherent.
The Scurf is worn away, of each committed Crime
1697, Virgil, “The Sixth Book of the Æneis”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 392, line 1011:
- (countable, uncountable) Minute membranous scales on the surface of some leaves, as in the goosefoot.
- (countable, obsolete, slang, uncountable) A low, mean person.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| scurfs | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
silver scurf · sea scurf · scurvy
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (19)
bn মরামাস (flakes of skin) · cy sgrwff (flakes of skin) · mi māihiihi (flakes of skin) · it crosta (flakes of skin) · cy marwdon (flakes of skin) · mi māungaunga (flakes of skin) · ja かさぶた (flakes of skin) · tl balikuskos (flakes of skin) · mi pakitea (flakes of skin) · cs lupy (flakes of skin) · mi inaho (flakes of skin) · ja ふけ (flakes of skin) · bg пърхот (flakes of skin) · grc ἄχωρ (flakes of skin) · el πιτυρίδα (flakes of skin) · cy cen (flakes of skin) · bn খুশকি (flakes of skin) · ga gainne (flakes of skin) · crh kebek (flakes of skin)