From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishscruffscruff /skrʌf/ noun 1 → by the scruff of the neck2 [countable] British English informalUNTIDY someone who looks untidy or dirty
Examples from the Corpus
scruff• Eventually he pulled her off and dragged her away by the scruff of her neck.• As though some enormous beast nuzzled her then picked her up in its mouth by the scruff of her neck.• Three were dragged back on to the train and taken by the scruff of the neck from station to police car.• He reappeared, grasping the unfortunate by the scruff of his shabby collar.• Quiss heaved the small attendant up by the scruff of its neck until its face was level with his.• One wondered when actor Ron Silver would finally shave the scruff he has been passing off as a beard.Origin scruff (1700-1800) scuff “back of the neck” ((18-19 centuries)), perhaps from Old Norse skoft “hair of the head” 