scrum

noun

1. a Rugby play in which, typically, three members of each team line up opposite one another with a group of two and a group of three players behind them, making an eight-person, three-two-three formation on each side; the ball is then rolled between the opposing front lines, the players of which stand with arms around a teammate’s waist, meeting the opponent shoulder to shoulder, and attempt to kick the ball backward to a teammate.
2. British. a place or situation of confusion and racket; hubbub.

verb (used without object), scrummed, scrum·ming.

3. to engage in a scrum.

noun

1. rugby the act or method of restarting play after an infringement when the two opposing packs of forwards group together with heads down and arms interlocked and push to gain ground while the scrum half throws the ball in and the hookers attempt to scoop it out to their own team. A scrum is usually called by the referee (set scrum) but may be formed spontaneously (loose scrum)
2. informal a disorderly struggle

verb scrums, scrumming or scrummed

3. (intr usually foll by down) rugby to form a scrum

n.1888, abbreviation of scrummage, a variant form of scrimmage (n.). Transferred sense of “noisy throng” is from 1950.