To express contempt, derision, or mockery towards something, aus pokies payid often in a scornful and dismissive manner."He would often scoff at my ideas without giving them a fair chance." So, the next time you hear someone dismiss an idea with a sneer or a laugh, you can confidently say they scoff at it. Remember, rich vocabulary makes your language more engaging, and knowing how to use phrases like "scoff at" properly will elevate your communication skills. Didn't find the perfect solution for your grid above? A variant, attested since the mid 19th century, of scaff, of uncertain origin. From Middle English scof, skof, probably of North Germanic origin.