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

The brain does not always need to start from scratch.

From Science Daily

Big food companies like General Mills and Conagra say economic pressures have more people cooking from scratch, and scraping their plates into Tupperware containers.

From The Wall Street Journal

But if you are in the camp of wanting to make your stuffing fully from scratch, this is a dish that’s super easy to prep or make-ahead of time and simply reheat pre-dinner.

From Salon

“That makes its silicon a tool to deepen an existing moat, not a new business it has to sell from scratch.”

From Barron's

But 250 years ago Americans were trying to create a nation from scratch and had no such luxury.

From The Wall Street Journal