What's the difference between scratch and scuff?

Scratch


Definition:

  • (v. t.) To rub and tear or mark the surface of with something sharp or ragged; to scrape, roughen, or wound slightly by drawing something pointed or rough across, as the claws, the nails, a pin, or the like.
  • (v. t.) To write or draw hastily or awkwardly.
  • (v. t.) To cancel by drawing one or more lines through, as the name of a candidate upon a ballot, or of a horse in a list; hence, to erase; to efface; -- often with out.
  • (v. t.) To dig or excavate with the claws; as, some animals scratch holes, in which they burrow.
  • (v. i.) To use the claws or nails in tearing or in digging; to make scratches.
  • (v. i.) To score, not by skillful play but by some fortunate chance of the game.
  • (n.) A break in the surface of a thing made by scratching, or by rubbing with anything pointed or rough; a slight wound, mark, furrow, or incision.
  • (n.) A line across the prize ring; up to which boxers are brought when they join fight; hence, test, trial, or proof of courage; as, to bring to the scratch; to come up to the scratch.
  • (n.) Minute, but tender and troublesome, excoriations, covered with scabs, upon the heels of horses which have been used where it is very wet or muddy.
  • (n.) A kind of wig covering only a portion of the head.
  • (n.) A shot which scores by chance and not as intended by the player; a fluke.
  • (a.) Made, done, or happening by chance; arranged with little or no preparation; determined by circumstances; haphazard; as, a scratch team; a scratch crew for a boat race; a scratch shot in billiards.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) To test the hypothesis that EAA agonists are involved in transmission of nociceptive information in the spinal cord, we tested the effect of various opioid, sigma and phencyclidine compounds on the action of NMDA in the tail-flick, hot-plate and biting and scratching nociceptive tests.
  • (2) Some organization schemes concerning locomotor and scratching rhythmicity generators are considered, such as: two half-centres with reciprocal inhibitory connections and tonic excitatory influences on these half-centres: two half-centres with inhibitory-excitatory connections and tonic excitatory influences on one half-centre; ring structures consisting of more than two functional groups of neurons with excitatory and inhibitory connections between them.
  • (3) In an interview with the Guardian, James Hansen, the world's pre-eminent climate scientist, said any agreement likely to emerge from the negotiations would be so deeply flawed that it would be better to start again from scratch.
  • (4) The satisfaction derived from smoking depends not only on the pharmacological effects of nicotine but also the sensory stimulation from smoke inhalation, particularly the tracheal 'scratch'.
  • (5) The pathogenesis of the prolific mite population is unclear, but either a specific immunologic deficit or the inability to effectively eliminate the mites by scratching is a plausible possibility.
  • (6) Forty-three percent of dog bites, and 52% of cat bites-scratches were provoked, that is, happened while the victim was interacting with the animal.
  • (7) If the NHS was being created from scratch, primary and community care would be treated as one service.
  • (8) The timing of knee extensor activity within the hip cycle is different for each form of the scratch (Robertson et al., 1985); thus, the sign of the reset cannot be predicted from the timing of the stimulus relative to the knee extensor cycle.
  • (9) We report a patient with cat scratch disease who presented with multiple scattered nodular lesions on the legs.
  • (10) Application of APV to a midbody segment also reduced the magnitude of temporal summation in the scratch circuit in response to electrical stimuli delivered to the shell at 4- to 5-s intervals.
  • (11) Windshields, spectacles, contact lenses, lashes, an excessive tear meniscus, intraocular lens scratches, and posterior capsular opacification are possible causes that can be easily identified and treated.
  • (12) Ventral UVA pre-exposure did not appear to affect dorsal skin irritation as expressed by scratch marks.
  • (13) A rare vascular proliferation found as a skin lesion in patients suffering from the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and sometimes referred to as epithelioid angiomatosis is believed to be a manifestation of infection by the cat scratch bacillus or a related organism.
  • (14) We have made Afghanistan stronger by building up from scratch strong security forces.
  • (15) Immunoperoxidase staining with an antiserum raised against the cat-scratch disease bacillus stained these organisms in all patients.
  • (16) licking, scratching, grooming, head and limb movements), a reaction termed immobility.
  • (17) These data suggest that hindlimb scratching induced by 5-HT agonists may not be centrally mediated but rather may be mediated by a neuronal 5-HT1A receptor localized outside the blood-brain barrier.
  • (18) In contrast, after weaning they showed a significant increment in the duration of face-washing, head-washing, fur licking and body-scratching.
  • (19) A strong correlation was found between reduction in scratching and improvement in skin status.
  • (20) But screens already demonstrated by GT can withstand scratches from concrete.

Scuff


Definition:

  • (n.) The back part of the neck; the scruff.
  • (v. i.) To walk without lifting the feet; to proceed with a scraping or dragging movement; to shuffle.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Zusi rather scuffs his free kick, but he's involved again a minute later — getting to the byline and forcing another corner.
  • (2) Instead he scuffs the ball harmlessly wide when a firmer header would surely have put Ireland a goal up and levelled the tie on aggregate.
  • (3) By that stage United could have been three in front, for Martial should have scored when Rooney broke clear and unselfishly squared for his better-placed team-mate, only to see the teenager scuff his attempt at a tap-in and allow John Stones to get in the way.
  • (4) The France international should have scored when a long throw into the Liverpool area fell to the unmarked striker, but Gameiro could only scuff his volley straight at Mignolet who diverted over.
  • (5) Did Denis Bergkamp, or even Matt le Tissier, ever scuff it?"
  • (6) Ospina barely had to get a scuff of mud on his kit and Francis Coquelin demonstrated again that he is better suited for the defensive midfield role than Mikel Arteta.
  • (7) He almost had time to take a touch and shoot, but he swung his hips with the ball attempting a first time shot, and in doing so only managed to scuff it.
  • (8) He takes the ball down and scuffS it past Handanovic - but onto the left-hand post.
  • (9) But no repeat of his 2006 Mexican antics: he scuffs the volley, and Cillessen gathers a ball sailing serenely towards the top corner.
  • (10) He makes space for the shot on his right but scuffs it into the arms of Myhill.
  • (11) 58 mins French substitution: Christoph Dugarry (21) for Youri Djorkaeff 54 mins Thuram gets a beautiful cross on to the head of Trezeguet, who fails to connect properly in the Senegal box and scuffs it wide.
  • (12) Anyway, the striker should score, with only the keeper to beat, but he scuffs his shot, allowing Muslera to get something behind it.
  • (13) He lays it back to Gutierrez, who scuffs his shot wide from the edge of the area.
  • (14) The winger rounded McCarthy but presented with an open goal could only scuff a left-foot shot into the side-netting.
  • (15) 16 min Silva scuffs a shot straight at Benaglio from the left corner of the box.
  • (16) Having toyed with José Holebas on the right, Cuadrado threaded the ball across the Greece area, Rodríguez dummied beautifully and there was the left-back Armero to scuff a shot into the bottom corner via a deflection off Kostas Manolas.
  • (17) They came from on high, striking branch after branch on their descent as if they were playing pinball, making light scuffs and scrapes with each deflection.
  • (18) Barrantes again, but he seems to kick the snow as he takes the kick and scuffs the ball weakly to the edge of the box, where the US defense batter it...anywhere.
  • (19) The ball is played out to Milito in the right channel and he squares it to Maicon, who scuffs it past the challenge of one defender before poking past Valdes from about five yards.
  • (20) Silva, though, is put off by his team-mate and, rushing in behind, scuffs his shot somewhat.