■ verb
1》 (of an animal) wound by scratching and tearing.
↘handle or treat savagely or roughly.
2》 Rugby Union take part in a ~.
■ noun
1》 Rugby Union a loose scrum formed around a player with the ball off the ground. Compare with ruck 1 .
2》 another term for beetle 2 (in sense 1).
Derivatives
~er noun
Origin
ME (in the senses 'hammer' and 'strike with a heavy weapon'): from OFr. mail , from L. malleus 'hammer'.