Scrimmage

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɪmɪdÊ’

Origin

A corruption of skirmish.

Full definition of scrimmage

Noun

1. A rough fight.
• 1919, William Somerset Maugham, ,There was an instant of complete silence, but when Tough Bill threw himself on Strickland the lust of battle seized them all, and in a moment there was a confused scrimmage. Tables were overturned, glasses crashed to the ground.
2. (United States) In some team sports, especially soccer, a practice game which does not count on a team's record.
3. In American football or Canadian football, a play that begins with a snap from the center while opposing teams are on either side of a line of scrimmage.

Synonyms

Verb

1. To have, or be involved in, a scrimmage.We scrimmaged a few times and then settled into boring drills.