Scrum vs. Scum — What's the Difference?

A play in rugby in which the two sets of forwards mass together around the ball and, with their heads down, struggle to gain possession of the ball.

A filmy or frothy layer of matter that forms on the surface of a liquid or body of water or on a hard surface.

The mass or formation of players during such a play.

The refuse or dross of molten metals.

Chiefly British A disordered or confused situation involving a number of people.

Refuse or worthless matter.

To engage in a scrum.

(Slang) One, such as a person or an element of society, that is regarded as despicable or worthless.

A tightly-packed and disorderly crowd of people.

To remove the scum from.

(Canada) A tightly packed group of reporters surrounding a person, usually a politician, asking for comments about an issue; an opportunity provided for a politician to be approached this way.

To become covered with scum.

(rugby) In rugby union or rugby league, all the forwards joined together in an organised way.

(uncountable) A layer of impurities that accumulates at the surface of a liquid (especially molten metal or water).

(software engineering) In Agile software development (specifically Scrum or related methodologies), a daily meeting in which each developer describes what they have been doing, what they plan to do next, and any impediments to progress.

(uncountable) A greenish water vegetation (such as algae), usually found floating on the surface of ponds

Hostile shoving between two groups.

The topmost liquid layer of a cesspool or septic tank.

To form a scrum.

A reprehensible person or persons.

(software engineering) Scrum

To remove the layer of scum from (a liquid etc.).

(rugby) the method of beginning play in which the forwards of each team crouch side by side with locked arms; play starts when the ball thrown in between them and the two sides compete for possession

To remove (something) as scum.

To become covered with scum.

(obsolete) To scour (the land, sea, etc.).

(obsolete) To gather together, as scum.

To startscum or savescum.

The extraneous matter or impurities which rise to the surface of liquids in boiling or fermentation, or which form on the surface by other means; also, the scoria of metals in a molten state; dross.

Refuse; recrement; anything vile or worthless.

To take the scum from; to clear off the impure matter from the surface of; to skim.

To sweep or range over the surface of.

To form a scum; to become covered with scum. Also used figuratively.

Worthless people

A film of impurities or vegetation that can form on the surface of a liquid