adjective of, relating to, or characterized by an irritating sensation of the skin.
of, relating to, or having a longing or desire to do or have something: An itching public anxiously awaits her announcement.
characterized by restlessness or the desire for adventure or activity: an itching impulse to travel.
characterized by the desire to grasp; grasping; an itching palm open for a bribe.
Origin of itching before 1000; Middle English (
y)ichinge, (
y)itchinge (noun, adj.); replacing
Old English giccende (adj.). See
itch ,
-ing2 ,
-ing1 Related forms itch·ing·ly , adverb verb (used without object) to have or feel a peculiar tingling or uneasy irritation of the skin that causes a desire to scratch the part affected: My nose itches.
to cause such a feeling: This shirt itches.
Informal to scratch a part that itches.
to have a desire to do or get something: to itch after fame.
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verb (used with object) to cause to have an itch: His wool shirt always itches him.
Informal to scratch (a part that itches): to itch a mosquito bite.
to annoy; vex; irritate: Her remarks itched me.
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noun the sensation of itching.
an uneasy or restless desire or longing: an itch for excitement.
a contagious disease caused by the itch mite , which burrows into the skin (usually preceded by the ). Show More
Origin of itch before 900; (v.) Middle English (y)icchen, Old English gicc(e)an; akin to German jucken, Dutch jeuken; (noun) Middle English (y)icche, Old English gicce, derivative of the v.
Related forms an·ti-itch , adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Related Words for itching ache ,
yearn ,
crave ,
thirst ,
hanker ,
prick ,
sting ,
prickle ,
tickle ,
irritate ,
titillate ,
crawl ,
creep ,
chafe ,
hunger ,
pant ,
sigh ,
burn ,
long ,
lust Examples from the Web for itching Contemporary Examples of itching The Into the Woods director, it soon becomes clear, is itching to get something off his chest.
It was like witnessing the last two weeks of the life of a blind and toothless dog you knew the vet was just itching to destroy.
Itching for the erotic details of Jess and Nick's New Girl dalliance?
And of course, as schools open up again across the country, many high schoolers are itching with misgivings of their own.
And then, after leaving the whole industry behind 15 years ago, finding himself now itching to get back into the biz again.
Historical Examples of itching The boys, at least, had been itching for something like this ever since the trouble started.
The news stimulated him, and in a little while he was itching to write again.
Since you have told me their plans I am itching to get at them.
He was itching to talk about books and make the most of his romantic hour.
I am itching all ofer with iteas, as if I were living in a bag of vleas.
British Dictionary definitions for itching noun an irritation or tickling sensation of the skin causing a desire to scratch
a restless desire
any skin disorder, such as scabies, characterized by intense itching
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verb (intr) to feel or produce an irritating or tickling sensation
(intr) to have a restless desire (to do something)
not standard to scratch (the skin)
itching palm a grasping nature; avarice
have itchy feet to be restless; have a desire to travel
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Derived Forms itchy , adjective itchiness , noun Word Origin for itch Old English gīccean to itch, of Germanic origin
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for itching n. Old English gicce , from giccan (v.) "to itch" (see itch (v.)). Sense of "restless desire" is first attested 1530s; itching in this sense is from mid-14c.
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v. Old English giccan "to itch," from West Germanic *jukkjan (cf. Middle Dutch jöken "to itch," Old High German jucchen , German jucken ). Related: Itched ; itching .
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
n. An irritating skin sensation causing a desire to scratch.
Any of various skin disorders, such as scabies, marked by intense irritation and itching.
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v. To feel, have, or produce an itch.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
