1843. Moncrieff, Scamps of London, i. 1. Hasn't a mag left—not a scuddick—is obliged to live on his wits.
Scuff, subs. (thieves').—A crowd.
1879. Macm. Mag., xl. 501. This got a scuff round us.
1888. Sims, Plank-Bed Ballad [Referee, 12 Feb.]. A scuff came about me and hollared.
Scuffle-hunter, subs. phr.
(obsolete).—See quot.
1797. Police of the Met., 54. Those who are distinguished by the nickname of scuffle-hunters prowl about the wharfs, quays and warehouses under pretence of asking employment as porters and labourers, but their chief object is to pillage and plunder whatever comes in their way.
Scufter, subs. (provincial).—See
quot.
1886. Graphic, 30 Jan., 130, 1. In the North a constable is or was known as a scufter and a "bulky."
Scug, subs. (Eton and Harrow).—A
sneak (q.v.); a play-cad (q.v.).
1880. C. T. Buckland, Eton Fifty Years Ago. Bathing was always in great favour with the Eton boys. A boy who did not bathe was called a scug.
1889. Drage, Cyril, vii. Such a little skug, to use a word in use at my tutor's.
Sculduddery (or Skulduggery),
subs. (old).—Bawdry; also as
adj.
1713. Centlivre, The Wonder, iii. 3. Gibby. To run three hundred mile to this wicked town, and, before I can well fill my weam, to be sent a whorehunting after this black she-devil! . . . there's na sic honest people here, or there wud na be sa mickle sculdudrie.
1818. Scott, Midlothian, xvi. Can find out naething but a wee bit sculduddery.
1890. Scots Observer, 23 Aug., 346. Living in a state of liquor and skulduddery.
Scull, subs. (University).—1. The
head (or master) of a College
(Grose). Hence scull-race = an
examination.
2. (colloquial).—In pl. = a waterman using a pair of sculls or short oars (q.v.).—Grose.
c.1704. [Ashton, Soc. Life in Reign of Q. Anne, 11. 144.] A cry of next 'Oars' or 'Sculls'!
3. (old).—'A one-horse chaise or buggy' (Grose).
Scullery-science, subs. phr.
(obsolete).—Phrenology.
1836. Chorley, Mem. Mrs. Hemans, i. 255. I did very much aggravate the phrenologist lately by laughing at the whole scullery science and its votaries.
Scull-thatcher, subs. phr. (common),—1.
A wig-maker (Grose);
and (2) a hatter: see nob-thatcher.
Sculpin, subs. (American).—'A
mean or mischief-making fellow
[Local slang, New Eng.]' (Century).
Scum, subs. (old: now recognised).—'The
Riff-Raff, or Tagrag and
Long-tail' (B. E., Grose).
Adv. (old).—Enough (Street Robberies Considered, 20).
Scumber (or scummer), subs.
(old).—Excrement: as verb. = to
defecate (Cotgrave, 1611, s.v.
Chier).
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, s.v. Chinchimurra . . . A skammering of a dog.
[?]. Ulysses upon Ajax, B.6. The picture of a fellow in a square cap scummering at a privy.
1630. Massinger, Picture, v. 1. Just such a one as you use to a brace of greyhounds, When they are led out of their kennels to scumber.
