I. ˈtəsəl verb
( tussled ; tussled ; tussling -s(ə)liŋ ; tussles )
Etymology: Middle English tussillen, freq. of -tusen, -tousen to touse — more at touse
intransitive verb
: to struggle especially roughly or violently : scuffle — usually used with with
likes to tussle with a large tuna
will tussle with the university's postwar development budget — Newsweek
a strong man who could tussle with evil and conquer — Vera Caspary
transitive verb
archaic : to struggle or scuffle with
Synonyms: see wrestle
II. noun
( -s )
1. : a physical contest or struggle : scuffle
a tussle to get through the door first
a hard tussle with the nasty sea — Appalachia
2. : a rough argument, controversy, or struggle against difficult odds for success
a constant tussle with insomnia — Lucien Price
a sharp tussle with temptation — Samuel Butler †1902
a constant tussle to find the money to pay our bills — Eileen McCarthy
his lifelong tussle … with the intricacies of the language — B.D.Wolfe