scrim

Meanings

Noun

• A kind of light cotton or linen fabric, often woven in openwork patterns, -- used for curtains, etc,.
• A large military scarf, usually camouflage coloured and used for concealment when not used as a scarf.
• A woven, nonwoven or knitted fabric composed of continuous strands of material used for reinforcing or strengthening membranes.
• A theater drop that appears opaque when a scene in front is lighted and transparent or translucent when a scene in back is lighted.
• A sheet of gauze etc. used to reduce the intensity of light.
• Thin canvas glued on the inside of panels to prevent shrinking, checking, etc.
• A practice match between one or more organized teams usually in preparation for a more competitive format, such as a tournament.

Verb

• To use a scrim.
• To participate in a scrim.

Origin

• Attested since the end of the 18th century. Origin unknown.
• In one of the earliest mentions, "The Statistical Account of Scotland", 1793, by John Sinclair, page 593, we read in a paragraph devoted to weavers: "Besides these, they are now much employed in working a thin kind of coarse linen called Silesias, vulgarly Scrims, whereof each piece is 27 or 30 inches broad".
• From scrimmage.