Etymology From Middle English scalp, skalp, scalpe (“crown of the head; skull”). Originally a northern word, and therefore probably from a North Germanic source, although the sense-development is unclear; compare Sylt North Frisian Skolp (“dandruff”), Old Norse skálpr (“sheath”), Old Swedish skalp, Dutch schelp (“shell”).
The part of the head where the hair grows from, or used to grow from.
By the bare scalpe of Robin Hoods fat Fryer, / This fellow were a King, for our wilde faction.c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
The original titanium mesh plate that was inserted in the summer of 2010 was removed last June since it was causing his scalp to break down.2014, Kaitlin Newman, “Five years after beating, Ryan Diviney's family holds out hope”, in Baltimore Sun, archived from the original on 10 Nov 2014:
3
Historical A part of the skin of the head, with the hair attached, formerly cut or torn off from an enemy by warriors in some cultures as a token of victory.
Some tribes used to collect scalps to prove how many of the enemy they had killed in battle.
The most disturbing thing about Disneyland is seeing all those smiling people walking around wearing Mickey Mouse's severed scalp.2018 September 14, Norm Macdonald Has a Show, season 1, episode 6, spoken by Norm Macdonald:
He bears for Arms : Argent, on a chevron invected gules, between two bugle-horns sable, stringed of the second in chief, and the attires of a stag affixed to the scalp in base of the third, two fasces chevronways or.1899, Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, Armorial Families: A Directory of Some Gentlemen of Coat-armour, Showing which Arms in Use at the Moment are Borne by Legal Authority, page 313:
5
Figuratively A victory, especially at the expense of someone else.
[At the American State Convention in 1856 the Hon E. M. Yerger of Yazoo said that] he came up to the great council fire of his people, not like his friends Cobb, Hillyer and Brooke, with no scalps at his girdle that he had had a fight and a glorious victory.1856 January 25, “Editorial Correspondence”, in The Weekly American Banner, Yazoo City, Miss., page 3:
His mind is quick to perceive a weak place in the enemy's armor, as he glances over the exchanges, and when he "goes for" a solitary foe he always returns with the scalp hanging at his girdle.1872 August 9, Correspondence of the New York Times, “Nasby at Home”, in The Portland Daily Press, Portland, Me., page 1:
3 more examples
Pat Buchanan, in his ongoing presidential quest, claimed his first scalp, and Donald Wildmon's newsletter chortled that his efforts in opposing the NEA had paid off.1993, John Frohnmayer, Leaving Town Alive: Confessions of an Arts Warrior, page 331:
Admiral Lee, aboard USS Washington, can content himself with the fact that his ship has claimed the scalp, or helped claim the scalp, of three out of the four Kongō class, and has landed meaningful hits on Nagato and Yamato as well, making it the single most successful U.S. battleship in history.2021 May 5, Drachinifel, 46:28 from the start, in Battle of Samar - What if TF34 was there?, archived from the original on 19 Aug 2022:
Randy Waldrum’s Nigeria, ranked 40th in the world, 36 places below England, looked as if they would claim the latest big scalp and knock out the European champions after the eliminations of Brazil, Canada, Germany and the USA.2023 August 7, Suzanne Wrack, “England beat Nigeria on penalties to reach Women’s World Cup quarter-finals”, in The Guardian:
the snowy scalp of Ben Cruachan1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
Etymology From Middle English scalp, skalp, scalpe (“crown of the head; skull”). Originally a northern word, and therefore probably from a North Germanic source, although the sense-development is unclear; compare Sylt North Frisian Skolp (“dandruff”), Old Norse skálpr (“sheath”), Old Swedish skalp, Dutch schelp (“shell”).
To remove the scalp (part of the head from where the hair grows), by brutal act or accident.
Next morning, the Indians attacked us and one of our hunters, George Huffman, was killed and scalped. As soon as Baldwin heard the shooting, he came to our assistance.2001, Peter Cozzens, Eyewitnesses to the Indian Wars, 1865-1890: Conquering the Southern Plains, Stackpole Books, →ISBN, page 507:
2
Canada, US, Slang To resell, especially tickets, usually for an inflated price, often illegally.
Tickets were being scalped for $300.
Tickets sold online through Craigslist, eBay, and other forums, where the purchaser cannot physically see them, run a greater risk of being counterfeit—but counterfeiters have been known to scalp tickets in person outside the venue as well, […]2011, Linda E. Swayne, Encyclopedia of Sports Management and Marketing, SAGE, →ISBN, page 324:
1 more example
Scalped tickets were going for $3,000 and up.2023 August 5, Ben Sisario, “How Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour Conquered the World”, in New York Times:
3
Gambling, Games To bet on opposing competitors so as to make a profit from the bookmaker.
The only sure thing about scalping the Series today is that the scalper is paying the bookie a greater profit because he is making a greater number of bets.1961, John Scarne, Complete Guide to Gambling, page 102:
4
Business, Finance On an open outcry exchange trading floor, to buy and sell rapidly for one's own account, aiming to buy from a seller and a little later sell to a buyer, making a small profit from the difference (roughly the amount of the bid/offer spread, or less).