The back of someone's neck or the loose skin at the back of an animal's neck, often used for grabbing or holding something by force.
Originated from Middle English 'scruffe' in the 1600s, possibly related to Scandinavian words for 'short-haired.' It may derive from Old Norse 'skrúfa' meaning 'to shove or push.'
Mothers of many mammals grab their babies by the scruff because pulling that specific loose skin triggers a paralysis reflex that makes the baby go limp—a trick that works on everything from kittens to human toddlers.
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