scarf

Everyday

1. A long strip of warm cloth worn around the neck, or a square piece of cloth worn on the head or shoulders. tree →
2. Informal American: to scarf (down) food means to eat it very quickly. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life, we wear a scarf in cold weather with a hat and gloves to keep warm; some people wear head scarves for their religion or culture, which we respect. Football fans wear scarves in their team's colours. In safety: a long scarf can get caught in moving things like bike wheels, escalators or playground equipment, so tuck it in. Phrases: "wrap up in a scarf", "knit a scarf", "a woolly scarf", "a silk scarf", "headscarf".

Examples

• Wear your scarf; it's freezing outside. tree →
• Grandma knitted me a stripy scarf. tree →
• Tuck your scarf in when you ride your bike. tree →
• She wore a red headscarf. tree →
• The fans waved their team scarves. tree →
• I wrapped my scarf around my face against the wind. tree →
• He lost his scarf on the bus. tree →
• Don't scarf down your lunch so fast! tree →
• Have you got my scarf and my bouquet?’ tree →

Note

Plural: scarves (more common) or scarfs. Like leaf → leaves, f becomes v. In maths, if 4 children each wear 1 scarf, there are 4 scarves.