scrimmage

/ˈskrɪmɪdʒ/
noun
  1. A rough or confused fight or struggle between people.
    • Police broke up the scrimmage in the parking lot.
    • A scrimmage broke out between the two groups of fans after the game.
    • The children got into a scrimmage over the last piece of cake.
  2. In sports like American football or rugby, a practice or informal game where players compete against each other.
    • During the scrimmage, the quarterback threw three touchdown passes.
    • The team held a scrimmage to prepare for the big match on Saturday.
    • Coaches use scrimmages to test new plays and player combinations.
verb
  1. To take part in a rough fight or struggle.
    • The players scrimmaged for the ball near the goal line.
    • Fans scrimmaged with security guards at the concert entrance.
    • The two dogs scrimmaged over a bone in the yard.
  2. To participate in a practice or informal game, especially in football or rugby.
    • The team scrimmaged against a rival school last weekend.
    • The coach decided to scrimmage for the last half hour of practice.
    • We scrimmage every Tuesday evening to sharpen our skills.
What does "scrimmage" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean