Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SCUF'FLE, n. [This is a different orthography of shuffle; from shove, or its root; Sw. skuff, a push; skuffa, to push, thrust, shove; Dan. skuffe, a drawer, a scoop, a shovel; skuffer, to shuffle, to cheat; D. schuiven, to shove, push or draw; G. schieben.]

1. A contention or trial of strength between two persons, who embrace each other's bodies; a struggle with close embrace, to decide which shall throw the other; in distinction from wrestling, which is a trial of strength and dexterity at arm's length. Among our common people, it is not unusual for two persons to commence a contest by wrestling, and at last close in, as it is called, and decide the contest by a scuffle.
2. A confuse contest; a tumultuous struggle for victory or superiority; a fight. The dog leaps upon the serpent and tears it to pieces; but in the scuffle, the cradle happened to be overturned. – L'Estrange.