from scratch

Idioms  

1. From the very beginning, from the outset; from nothing. For example, I knew we'd have a problem from scratch. Similarly, to start from scratch means “to start from the very beginning,” as in After the business failed, they decided to reorganize and start from scratch. This term comes from racing, where a competitor starts from the line scratched into the ground (whereas others may start ahead with a handicap). [Mid-1800s] Also see from the ground up; from the word go.

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Example Sentences

Try making your nut butters from scratch before adding in the chia seeds.

From Salon

“Zara and I made the phyllo pastry from scratch,” her mom says.

From Literature

For a team that has been built from scratch in what was without question a tricky process that's a decent effort.

From BBC

That summer, Silicon Valley had been electrified by the rise of coding agents that could build software programs from scratch.

From The Wall Street Journal

But in many ways “SNL U.K.” is starting from scratch in a land with a different history of sketch comedy, and where audiences generally don’t know “SNL” beyond its greatest hits and biggest former stars.

From The Wall Street Journal