itching

[ ich-ing ]

/ ˈɪtʃ ɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR itching ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

noun

itch.

Nearby words

itasca, lake, itc, itch, itch for, have an, itch mite, itching, itchingly, itchy, itchy palm, itcz, itea

Origin of itching

before 1000; Middle English (y)ichinge, (y)itchinge (noun, adj.); replacing Old English giccende (adj.). See itch, -ing², -ing¹

Related formsitch·ing·ly, adverb

Definition for itching (2 of 2)

itch

[ ich ]

/ ɪtʃ /

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.

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.

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).

Compare mange, scabies.

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 formsan·ti-itch, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for itching

The Into the Woods director, it soon becomes clear, is itching to get something off his chest.
Rob Marshall Defends ‘Into the Woods’|Kevin Fallon|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
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.
Dems, It’s Time to Dump Dixie|Michael Tomasky|December 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Itching for the erotic details of Jess and Nick's New Girl dalliance?
50 Shades of Fall TV: New Girl, Scandal, and More Television Fan Fiction|Amy Zimmerman|October 16, 2013|DAILY BEAST
And of course, as schools open up again across the country, many high schoolers are itching with misgivings of their own.
Matthew Cordle & the Online Confession Obsession|Anna Brand|September 13, 2013|DAILY BEAST

And then, after leaving the whole industry behind 15 years ago, finding himself now itching to get back into the biz again.
‘Free Willy’ Turns 20: Catching Up With Star Jason James Richter|Kevin Fallon|July 16, 2013|DAILY BEAST
I've heard so much about your deals that I'm itching to speculate some myself.
Dixie Hart|Will N. Harben
The wet snow drenched their gloves; the water underfoot splashed their itching ankles.
Main Street|Sinclair Lewis
Sometimes it happens that the itching is so trivial, you are not aware that the miner is at work.
Wanderings in South America|Charles Waterton
My fingers were just itching to be at them, and I slipped my knife under the lock of one of the cases to wrench it open.
The Great Keinplatz Experiment and Other Tales of Twilight and the Unseen|Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
In a further instance, a man had a tumour growing between his eyebrows, the itching of which was insupportable.
A History of Chinese Literature|Herbert A. Giles

British Dictionary definitions for itching

itch

/ (ɪtʃ) /

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

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

Derived Formsitchy, adjectiveitchiness, 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 (1 of 2)

itch

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.

Word Origin and History for itching (1 of 2)

itch

Old English giccan "to itch," from West Germanic *jukkjan (cf. Middle Dutch jöken "to itch," Old High German jucchen, German jucken). Related: Itched; itching.

Medicine definitions for itching

itch

[ ĭch ]

n.

An irritating skin sensation causing a desire to scratch.

Any of various skin disorders, such as scabies, marked by intense irritation and itching.

v.

To feel, have, or produce an itch.

itching

adjective

noun

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of itching

Definition for itching (2 of 2)

itch

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

noun

Origin of itch

Examples from the Web for itching

British Dictionary definitions for itching

itch

noun

verb

Word Origin for itch

Word Origin and History for itching (1 of 2)

itch

Word Origin and History for itching (1 of 2)

itch

Medicine definitions for itching

itch

n.

v.