scarf1
/skɑːf
/noun (plural scarves /skɑːvz/ or scarfs)
A length or square of fabric worn around the neck or head: she tucked her woolly scarf around her neck a silk scarf...
- The cold also brought on another bout of shopping, namely for warmer hats, scarves, gloves and coats.
- Each of the girls, as well as Ethan, wore their thickest coats and warmest mittens, as well as scarves and hats and earmuffs.
- One or two of the soldiers even went as far as to remove their Alliance neck scarves.
Synonyms
muffler;
headscarf, headsquare, square;
stole, tippet;
neckerchief, kerchief, cravat, bandana;
North American babushka
dated comforter
in Spanish-speaking countries mantilla, rebozo
Derivatives
scarfed
- Many of the men wore white skullcaps and long white robes, and the women were either scarved and covered or in the full abaya, a black nunlike garb.
- I live in a city in the US where it is common to see such scarved women on the bus and in the market and on the street, yet I have never seen any such incidents of harassment.
- The cute little boy came outside again, followed by a scarved woman who must have been his mother.
Origin
Mid 16th century (in the sense 'sash (around the waist or over the shoulder)'): probably based on Old Northern French escarpe, probably identical with Old French escharpe 'pilgrim's scrip'.
While a sash was once a head covering, a scarf was once what we would now call a sash. Worn chiefly by officials or soldiers it served for carrying things. It is likely that it is based on Old Northern French escarpe, probably identical with Old French escharpe ‘pilgrim's bag or pouch’.
Rhymes
scarf2
/skɑːf/verb [with object]
1Join the ends of (two pieces of timber or metal) by bevelling or notching them so that they fit over or into each other: he forced me to scarf the keel timbers in watertight sections (as noun scarfing) the scarfing follows the natural grain of the wood
2Make an incision in the blubber of (a whale).
noun
1A joint connecting two pieces of timber or metal in which the ends are bevelled or notched so that they fit over or into each other.The two arcs were joined at the Crown by a sophisticated scarf joint, which was secured by three large nuts and bolts....
- It could be argued that the great array of different scarf joints encountered in timber-framed buildings should make the author's point about complexity.
2An incision made in the blubber of a whale.
Origin
Middle English (as a noun): probably via Old French from Old Norse. The verb dates from the early 17th century.
scarf3
/skɑːf/verb [with object] North American informal
Eat or drink (something) hungrily or enthusiastically: he scarfed down the waffles...
- Morning at the girls apartment came with a hurried rush of alarm clocks going off, hair being dried, and granola bars being scarfed down.
- Seventy-five miles and 6.5 hours from the start and we are scarfing some hot food and sucking down cold beers, legs a bit sore but the soul quenched.
- We sat there, the guys talking as Zach and I scarfed our food.
Origin
1960s: variant of scoff2.