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

Everything has been built from scratch, and as they share the hills with Exmoor ponies, their busy fast-paced lives in London seem like a distant memory.

From BBC

You do not have to generate vegetable inspiration from scratch.

From Salon

Instead of starting from scratch, scientists examined medicines that are currently used for other conditions to see whether any could help protect the brain.

From Science Daily

AI coding assistants detect errors and recommend improvements, but they didn’t make programs from scratch—until recently.

From Barron's

“Look at everything as if you were starting from scratch.”

From Barron's