- scrimmage (n.)
- sometimes also scrummage, late 15c., alteration of skirmish (n.). Meaning in rugby and U.S. football dates from 1857, originally "a confused struggle between players."
- scrimmage (v.)
- 1825, "quarrel, argue," from scrimmage (n.). Team sports sense is from 1881. Related: Scrimmaged; scrimmaging.
