tussle

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a vigorous physical struggle, scuffle, or contest

   A brief tussle broke out when both players reached for the ball.

2. 2
   verb

   to struggle or fight at close quarters or over a difficult issue

   The two committees tussle over control of the project each year.

Simplified etymology

Tussle dates from the late Middle Ages and is probably the same word historically as tousle, which is of Germanic origin. It may also be one component of hassle, whose precise formation remains uncertain.

Probably related to tousle, 'to handle roughly or disarrange,' and ultimately to the idea of pulling or struggling. The noun and verb have been used for confused close fighting since the nineteenth century.

Topics

External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary