Meaning & use
scuffs on shoes
Last updated
Meanings
phraseplural
Small dull marks or damaged patches on footwear, caused by scraping against a hard surface.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun phrase; a single mark is "a scuff on a shoe."
Patterns
- scuffs on (my/your) shoes
- get scuffs on something
- wipe scuffs off something
There were dark scuffs on his shoes after the long walk through the city.
She keeps a cloth in her bag to wipe the scuffs on her shoes before meetings.
These white sneakers show every scuff on the toe.
verbtransitive
To damage the surface of shoes by rubbing or dragging them against something rough.
Grammar: Takes an object, often with "up": scuff your shoes, scuff up the floor.
Patterns
- scuff something
- scuff something up
- scuff something on something
Be careful not to scuff your shoes on the concrete steps.
He scuffed his new boots climbing over the wall.
Word forms
| third person singular | scuffs |
|---|---|
| past tense | scuffed |
| past participle | scuffed |
| -ing form | scuffing |
| plural noun | scuffs |
Common combinations
- scuff marks
- The floor was covered in scuff marks from the chairs.
- scuff your shoes
- Try not to scuff your shoes when you park the bike.
- wipe off a scuff
- A little polish will wipe off that scuff.
- scuffed-up leather
- He wore scuffed-up leather boots every day.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
Commonly confused: scuffs on shoes or scuff?
scuffs on shoes vs scuff
Do not confuse with "scruff," the loose skin at the back of the neck, or "scurf," flakes on the skin.
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
"Scuffs on shoes" is the standard pattern with "on." "In" would suggest something inside the shoe, and "at" and "of" do not fit this meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “scuffs on shoes”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.