TS: "scoff down" vs. "scarf down"

It is a new year. It is time to tackle this intractibly difficult and controversial question. Which is the proper useage for this idiom, meaning 'to eat rapidly and heedlessly'?

I shall now retire from the field of battle to view the ensuing carnage from a safe distance.

Um, is this really an argument? I've never, ever heard "scoff" used in this way.

yeah. i have also never heard of this "scoff down" thing. weirdo regionalism?

check the dictionary

both work

scoff down sounds like something you do to louis jaggar

besides, you wolf it down

or you could mow it down

guys the phrase is "scarf dom"

"Scoff down" is a fairly widespread variant whose proponents have not yet taken up the cudgels on its behalf. It trails in popularity, as measured in Google results (see below), but the downtrodden, the lesser-favored, and the underdog often attracts the most ferocious support.

Results 1 - 10 of about 72,100 for "scarf down". (0.17 seconds)
Results 1 - 10 of about 6,620 for "scoff down". (0.13 seconds)

I scoff at all this scarfing.

Um, is this really an argument? I've never, ever heard "scoff" used in this way.

― jon /via/ chi 2.0, Friday, January 2, 2009 12:13 PM (10 minutes ago)

^

"Scoff down" is like "sike", the latter of which will surely appear soon in dictionaries everywhere if it's not there now.

To these UK ears, this use of "scarf" sounds like it might well have begun as an American-vowelled variation of "scoff" (I'm not sure at what point rhoticity would come in to play, but let's not worry unduly there).

Jon/John: are you saying you're not familiar with "scoff" meaning "to eat hurriedly", or you're not familiar with the phrase "scoff down"? I mean: I'd normally say something like: "Look at that greedy fat bastard scoffing all the pies" as opposed to "Look at that greedy fat bastard scoffing down all the pies". That said: I'd also quite happily use "Look at that fat bastard scarfing down all the pies", which I've always thought was some kind of Scotticism, but probably isn't after all.

I would say scoff. Though usually as "scoffing", as in stop "scoffing your food, or you'll be sick"

You wear a scarf to keep warm.

both work

This is like having no opinion on the relative merits of Rutherford B. Hayes and Benjamin Harrison. C'est impossible!

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scoff[3]

as measured in Google results (see below)

Oh for fuck's sake, no. Come on. Some things are beneath even ILX.

You might notice I used Google to measure popularity, as opposed to correctness.

I'm only familiar with "scoff" being used as a term of disbelief or mockery. I've never heard or seen it used in direct relation to eating things rapidly.

You might notice I used Google to measure popularity, as opposed to correctness

I did, and that mitigates it slightly :)

Anyway. The OS X dictionary says:

scoff 2 |skɔf| |skɒf| informal
verb [ trans. ]
eat (something) quickly and greedily : she scoffed down several chops | a lizard scoffing up insects. Compare with scarf 3 .

scarf 3 |skɑrf| |skɑːf|
verb [ trans. ] informal
eat or drink (something) hungrily or enthusiastically : he scarfed down the waffles.
ORIGIN 1960s: variant of scoff 2 .

... which would kinda support my hypothesis.

Mind you, this has all the makings of another "another think coming", doesn't it?

one can only hope

thing scoff

Tiny Tim might scoff his plateful of reeking dried fish, were he not so frail, whereas a normal person would scarf a burrito.

i have never heard of scoff in terms of eating before at all.

I've never heard or seen it used in direct relation to eating things rapidly

i have never heard of scoff in terms of eating before at all

Well, bugger me: another transatlantic divide. It's not exactly in everyday use over here, but I think most Brits would recognise it. Wouldn't we?

It's a very Beano/Dandy type word ... many's the time I've chortled at Dennis the Menace (the UK one, natch) ploughing through a plate of bangers and mash and going "SCOFF SCOFF BURP" or similar.

well you learn something new every day

yeah it's just a british/american distinction.

you'd think it would be the other way around, if the "arse/ass" dichotomy were anything to go by.

Here's something else I've just learned: if you put "scoff scoff eat" (no quotes) into GIS, the 13th and 14th images are from livehorsesex dot com.

i'm tempted to say that "scarf" is "more correct" i.e. "scoff" is a misguided transliteration by those who drop their r's

but i won't, obviously

You can impress your friends by saying "Scoff a burrito", such a gift has been bestowed upon you!

neither of these are good options, if you're looking for clarity of expression, imo

what is wrong with 'devour' or 'inhale'

or 'shovel it down'

An American linguist says: "Bugger me". About scoff/scarf, not live horse sex.

I've always interpreted "scoff" in this as an insignificant passing error. "Scoff down" sounds to me like a bunch of people mercilessly mocking a suggestion until the person making it slinks off in shame.

But this is kind of an onomatopoeia, right? So maybe Americans go scarf scarf scarf while eating and Brits go scoff scoff scoff, making the same sound. Both will be replaced by "omnom down" shortly.

what is wrong with 'inhale'

Quite a bit, unless I'm really missing one of the little-known joys of food.

images are from livehorsesex dot com

Thus conclusively establishing that this is just another british/american distinction.

Both are apparently derived from 'scaff'.

now wait what is the beano/dandy shit

http://www.leaderpharma.com/ProdImages/beano.jpg

Surely scaff apostasy has become orthodoxy, but which apostate prevails?

Timne for apostate exam?

Both are apparently derived from 'scaff'.

This is just how you say scarf/scoff in Boston

from wiktionary:

Verb
Infinitive
to scoff
Third person singular
scoffs
Simple past
scoffed
Past participle
scoffed
Present participle
scoffing

to scoff (third-person singular simple present scoffs, present participle scoffing, simple past and past participle scoffed)

(UK) To eat food quickly.
(South Africa) To eat.

Related terms
scarf (US)

omnom

amnam?

in boston you 'woof it down' iirc

I'm really glad I never tried to correct anyone on this!

Sounds like a new england accent thing to me.

we scoffed it even though it were right stodge

mmmm... stodge grub

"You know, Pip," said Joe, solemnly, with his last bite in his cheek and speaking in a confidential voice, as if we two were quite alone, "you and me is always friends, and I'd be the last to tell upon you, any time. But such a--" he moved his chair and looked about the floor between us, and then again at me - "such a most oncommon Bolt as that!"

"Been bolting his food, has he?" cried my sister.

"You know, old chap," said Joe, looking at me, and not at Mrs. Joe, with his bite still in his cheek, "I Bolted, myself, when I was your age - frequent - and as a boy I've been among a many Bolters; but I never see your Bolting equal yet, Pip, and it's a mercy you ain't Bolted dead."

Scoff is correct.

Scarf is just utterly wrong and sounds like a posho type trying to say 'scoff' (er, in some other country).

'Scoff down' has its place but 'scoff' would normally suffice.

Also 'some scoff' (noun) as in 'some food'.

Scoff's the word I'd use too. Only heard scarf in recent years.

scarf down is stupid a scarf is something you wear around your neck

it's like saying "piece of mind"

piece is something you wear between your legs

I'll give you a piece of my mind.

Local variant: snarf, also rolf instead of 'wolf' for quickly eating.

"Scoff" is a little too light sounding, phonetically. It sounds like delightful nibbling. + the Ninja Turtles say scarf and I'm not gonna fuck w turtle power.

Yeh, the Hero Turtles say scoff, though.

NO WAY

http://books.google.com/books?id=PQx2vs3FJZIC&pg=PA223&dq=%22scoff+it+down%22&ei=iHNfSeepL52EzgTQ-4HKBg

I cannot support a nation that is not pro-ninja.

UK has become increasingly anti-teenager and anti-mutant since then too

FROM THER OED

scoff, v
slang and dial.

[app. orig. a variant of SCAFF v., taken into slang from dialectal use; latterly associated with the orig. South African SCOFF n.2]

1. a. trans. To eat voraciously, devour; also gen. to eat. Also with up, down. Also fig.

1846 Swell's Night Guide 48 He scoffed weed; that is, chewed tobacco. Ibid. 50 You must grub with the grunters, and scoff cabbage without salt. 1864 Hotten's Slang Dict., Scorf, to eat voraciously. 1876 Whitby Gloss., Skoff, to eat with audible voracity. 1883 CLARK RUSSELL Sailors' Lang., Scoffing, eating. To scoff a thing is to eat it.
etc etc

scarf, v

U.S. slang var. SCOFF v.2 1. Also absol. and const. up and down.

1960 R. G. REISNER Jazz Titans 164 Scarf, eat. 1968 C. ARMSTRONG Balloon Man viii. 98 They don't want to faint from hunger, so..they scarf up what they call a bite before they go. 1974 Black World June 77/1 King Dust would sit there, ‘scarfing’, as he called it, in silence. 1975 High Times Dec. 80/3, I can pick jimsonweed and chop it up and scarf it down as well as the next guy. 1976 R. CONDON Whisper of Axe II. xviii. 265 Let's..scarf up some of that osso bucco.

Scaff, v

Sc.

[Of obscure origin; cf. skaigh, which is used in Sc. with a similar though less emphatically contemptuous sense.
It has been conjectured that scaff may have been an adoption of the Du. and G. schaffen (whence MSw. skaffa) to provide or procure (food). The word might possibly have been brought over by soldiers who had served in the Continental wars; in military use it would naturally have a colouring that might account for the contemptuous sense of the verb in Sc.]

a. trans. To beg or ask for (food, etc.) in a mean or contemptible manner. Also absol. or intr. (Still in common use.) b. To sponge upon (a person). Now rare or Obs.

1508 DUNBAR Flyting 133 He sayis, thow skaffis and beggis mair beir and aitis, Nor ony cripill in Karrik land abowt. 15.. Aberd. Reg. (MS.) XV. (Jam.), Nae bygging of mair vittail nor sustenis thaim self, and topping of the samen, scaffyng thair nychtbouris. 1583 Leg. Bp. St. Androis 904 Ane scaffing warlot, wanting schame. 16.. Lindesay's (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (1814) 512 (Jam.) They scaffed throche all Scotland..for thair particular commoditee.

scoff, n

colloq., orig. S. African.

Show pronunciation* Show spellings* Hide etymology* Hide quotations* Show date charts*

[Cape Du., repr. Du. schoft, quarter of a day, hence each of the four meals of the day.]

Food; also a meal. (Cf. SCAFF n.) Also attrib.
1846 Swell's Night Guide 51 It vas hout-and-hout good scoff, and no flies. 1855 J. W. COLENSO Ten Weeks in Natal 54 The meat and other scoff (food), which the Kafirs are so fond of. 1863 J. S. DOBIE Jrnl. 6 Jan. (1945) 60 The best one was consigned to the Kafirs for ‘scoff’. 1879 R. J. ATCHERLEY Trip Boërland 101 Kafirs..get wages varying from 15s. to £1, besides their food, or ‘scoff’..Indian or mealie flour.

IOW you yanks are johnny-come-latelys with yer scarfing.

I've never heard scoff used in that way either.

in boston you 'woof it down' iirc
― marlon brando baby tiger (elmo argonaut)

I swear my Dad says "wolf it down" but that could just be one of his weird things since English isn't his first language like instead of saying "white as a ghost" he says pale people are "white like cheesecake" and "what's the hubba" instead of "hubub".

am familiar with wolf not woof here too

I've heard woof.

1862 SALA Seven Sons III. xi. 272 [She] used to..wolf her food with her fingers.

1943 C. H. WARD-JACKSON Piece of Cake 63 Woof, to, to eat fast.., to open the throttle quickly.

Round here you dont rolf things down, you rolf em back up again!

'Scoff' (verb and noun) was what I grew up with and I've since come across all the other variants mentioned above, except for 'scarf', which I don't think I've ever heard used in this way before. I have a cherished banana bread recipe, emailed to me by a friend, in which the final instruction is to "slather with butter and snarf while warm".

I look upon these 72 posts and my heart cockles grow warmer by the moment. I think I may have eaten that pizza too fast.

ooh snarf

otherwise, though, madchen is MAD

scarf is fucking stupid

what ken c said!

ts scoff v scoff down

surely the time is ripe for an I Love Language board

Because we really need a thousand "how them britishes spell lol" threads and Tuomas teaching us the Finnish word for 'haddock'.

WE DO THOUGH

Although I'd like to see English discussed in GLOBAL terms instead of this insular bloody you-are-british-or-you-are-american rubbish.

you think sandals are thongs