[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/scoff/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [S](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/s/) / scoff

# scoff

verb (scoff, scoffs, scoffed, scoffing); noun (scoff — UK slang, food)

«scoff» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To scoff at someone or something is to laugh at it or talk about it in a mocking way, as if it were silly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scoff/#m1)
2. (UK, Australia, informal) To scoff food is to eat it very quickly and greedily. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scoff/#m2)
3. (UK slang) Scoff is food. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scoff/#m3)

### In the lessons

In stories, people scoff at the inventor's idea, but later it works. In everyday British and Australian talk, «Who scoffed all the biscuits?» means who ate them all. It tells the reader someone is being rude or greedy. Phrases: scoff at, scoff down, scoff the lot.

### Examples

- Everyone scoffed at his idea of a flying bike. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scoff/#x1)
- My brother scoffed all the chips before I got any. (UK, informal) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scoff/#x2)
- Don't scoff your dinner — eat slowly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scoff/#x3)
- She scoffed when I said I'd seen a ghost. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scoff/#x4)
- The dog scoffed the sausages off the plate. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scoff/#x5)
- People scoffed, but the Wright brothers did fly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scoff/#x6)
- Let's get some scoff before the film. (UK slang) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scoff/#x7)
- Then the Prince stood on the beach, and in the pride of his strength he scoffed and said: [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scoff/#x8)

### Note

Regular verb: scoffed, scoffing. «Scoff at» (mock) is followed by «at»; the eating sense is informal. In maths, «he scoffed 3 of the 12 biscuits» means subtract: 9 are left.

## In Jewish tradition

To mock or laugh at, here especially at God, kings and the prophets.

**Interpretation.** Tradition sees scoffing at God's messengers as a cause of the people's downfall, as Chronicles says before the exile.

### Examples

- They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression; they speak as if there were none on high. (Writings PSA.73.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/scoff/#x1)
- And they scoff at kings, and princes are a derision unto them; they deride every stronghold, for they heap up earth, and take it. (Prophets HAB.1.10, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/scoff/#x2)
- but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till there was no remedy. (Writings 2CH.36.16, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/scoff/#x3)

### Note

Regular verb: scoffed, scoffing. «Scoff at» (mock) is followed by «at»; the eating sense is informal. In maths, «he scoffed 3 of the 12 biscuits» means subtract: 9 are left.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «scoff» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/scoff/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«scoff» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/scoff.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «scoff» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/S/scoff/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«scoff» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/scoff.html) on Mova free.