scurf, n. [AS. scurf, sceorf, or from Scand.; cf. Sw. skorf, Dan. skurv, Icel. skurfur, D. schurft, G. schorf; all akin to AS. scurf, and to AS. sceorfan to scrape, to gnaw, G. schÜrfen to scrape, and probably also to E. scrape. Cf. Scurvy.].

Thin dry scales or scabs upon the body; especially, thin scales exfoliated from the cuticle, particularly of the scalp; dandruff. [1913 Webster]
Hence, the foul remains of anything adherent. [1913 Webster]
"The scurf is worn away of each committed crime." [1913 Webster]
Anything like flakes or scales adhering to a surface. [1913 Webster]
"There stood a hill not far, whose grisly top
Belched fire and rolling smoke; the rest entire
Shone with a glossy scurf." [1913 Webster]
Minute membranous scales on the surface of some leaves, as in the goosefoot. Gray. [1913 Webster]

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OXFORD DICTIONARY

scurf, n.
1 flakes on the surface of the skin, cast off as fresh skin develops below, esp. those of the head; dandruff.
2 any scaly matter on a surface.

Derivative

scurfy adj.

Etymology

OE, prob. f. ON & earlier OE sceorf, rel. to sceorfan gnaw, sceorfian cut to shreds

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THESAURUS

scurf

bilge, bilgewater, canaille, carrion, chip, corruption, dandruff, decay, dishwater, ditchwater, excrement, filth, flake, floccule, flocculus, flock, foul matter, furfur, gangrene, garbage, hoi polloi, masses, mess, mob, muck, mucus, obscenity, offal, offscourings, ordure, other half, paring, proletariat, pus, putrid matter, refuse, riffraff, rot, scale, scum, scuz, sewage, sewerage, shaving, slime, slop, slops, slough, smut, snot, sordes, swill, trash

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ROGET THESAURUS

scurf

Uncleanness

N uncleanness, impurity, immundity, immundicity, impurity, defilement, contamination, defoedation, soilure, soiliness, abomination, leaven, taint, tainture, fetor, decay, putrescence, putrefaction, corruption, mold, must, mildew, dry rot, mucor, rubigo, slovenry, slovenliness, squalor, dowdy, drab, slut, malkin, slattern, sloven, slammerkin, slammock, slummock, scrub, draggle-tail, mudlark, dust-man, sweep, beast, dirt, filth, soil, slop, dust, cobweb, flue, smoke, soot, smudge, smut, grit, grime, raff, sossle, sozzle, sordes, dregs, grounds, lees, argol, sediment, settlement heeltap, dross, drossiness, mother, precipitate, scoriae, ashes, cinders, recrement, slag, scum, froth, hogwash, ditchwater, dishwater, bilgewater, rinsings, cheeseparings, sweepings, offscourings, outscourings, off scum, caput mortuum, residuum, sprue, fecula, clinker, draff, scurf, scurfiness, exuviae, morphea, fur, furfur, dandruff, tartar, riffraff, vermin, louse, flea, bug, chinch, mud, mire, quagmire, alluvium, silt, sludge, slime, slush, slosh, sposh, spawn, offal, gurry, lientery, garbage, carrion, excreta, slough, peccant humor, pus, matter, suppuration, lienteria, faeces, feces, excrement, ordure, dung, crap, shit, sewage, sewerage, muck, coprolite, guano, manure, compost, dunghill, colluvies, mixen, midden, bog, laystall, sink, privy, jakes, toilet, john, head, cess, cesspool, sump, sough, cloaca, latrines, drain, sewer, common sewer, Cloacina, dust hole, sty, pigsty, lair, den, Augean stable, sink of corruption, slum, rookery, dirty, filthy, grimy, unclean, impure, soiled, not to be handled with kid gloves, dusty, snuffy, smutty, sooty, smoky, thick, turbid, dreggy, slimy, mussy, slovenly, untidy, messy, uncleanly, unkempt, sluttish, dowdy, draggle-tailed, uncombed, unscoured, unswept, unwiped, unwashed, unstrained, unpurified, squalid, lutose, slammocky, slummocky, sozzly, nasty, coarse, foul, offensive, abominable, beastly, reeky, reechy, fetid, decayed, moldy, musty, mildewed, rusty, moth-eaten, mucid, rancid, weak, bad, gone bad, etercoral, lentiginous, touched, fusty, effete, reasty, rotten, corrupt, tainted, high, flyblown, maggoty, putrid, putrefactive, putrescent, putrefied, saprogenic, saprogenous, purulent, carious, peccant, fecal, feculent, stercoraceous, excrementitious, scurfy, scurvy, impetiginous, gory, bloody, rotting, rotten as a pear, rotten as cheese, crapulous, gross, fimetarious, fimicolous, they that touch pitch will be defiled.

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