1 C1 neutral
(Rugby) To form a scrum, with players packing tightly together to contest possession of the ball
"The referee signalled for both teams to scrum up after the ball went out of play."
inseparable
scrum up
C1 informal inseparable intransitive
To form or gather into a tight group, often urgently, borrowed from rugby's 'scrum' formation
In plain English
To crowd together or push together as a group, like players in a rugby game
What does "scrum up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 C1 idiomatic informal
(British informal) To gather closely together in a tight group, especially to compete for something
"Everyone scrummed up around the notice board when the exam results were posted."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To form a scrum (rugby formation) and push up — relatively transparent for those familiar with rugby
Actually means
To crowd together or push together as a group, like players in a rugby game
Usage tip
Primarily used in British English. In rugby, a scrum is a tightly packed formation of players. 'Scrum up' is sometimes used informally to mean gathering closely together or competing aggressively for something. Rarely used outside of sports or informal British contexts.
Words that pair with "scrum up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
players team crowd together around group
How to conjugate "scrum up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
scrum up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
scrums up
he/she/it
Past simple
scrumed up
yesterday
Past participle
scrumed up
have + pp
-ing form
scruming up
continuous
Hear "scrum up" in the wild
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Other ways to say "scrum up"
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