scratch

[ skrach ]

/ skrætʃ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR scratch ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to break, mar, or mark the surface of by rubbing, scraping, or tearing with something sharp or rough: to scratch one's hand on a nail.

to dig, scrape, or tear (something) out or off with or as if with the nails, claws, etc.: to scratch the burs off one's coat.

to rub or scrape slightly, as with the fingernails, to relieve itching.

to rub or draw along a rough, grating surface: to scratch a match on the sidewalk.

to erase, cancel, strike out, or eliminate (a name, something written, etc.) by or as if by drawing a line through it (often followed by out): Scratch out the third name on the list.

to withdraw (an entry) from a race or competition.

U.S. Politics.

to divide (one's vote) though predominantly supporting one political party or faction.
to strike out or reject a particular name or names on (a party ticket) in voting.

to write or draw by scraping or cutting the lines into a surface: She scratched her initials on the glass.

to manipulate (a phonograph record) back and forth under the stylus to produce rhythmic sounds.

verb (used without object)

to use the nails, claws, etc., for tearing, digging, etc.

to relieve itching by rubbing or scraping lightly, as with the fingernails.

to make a slight grating noise, as a pen.

to earn a living or to manage in any respect with great difficulty: We scratched along that year on very little money.

to withdraw or be withdrawn from a contest or competition.

(in certain card games) to make no score; earn no points.

Billiards, Pool. to make a shot that results in a penalty, especially to pocket the cue ball without hitting the object ball.

noun

a slight injury, mar, or mark, usually thin and shallow, caused by scratching: three scratches on my leg; a noticeable scratch on the table.

a rough mark made by a pen, pencil, etc.; scrawl.

an act of scratching.

the slight grating sound caused by scratching.

the starting place, starting time, or status of a competitor in a handicap who has no allowance and no penalty.

Billiards, Pool.

a shot resulting in a penalty, especially a pocketing of the cue ball without hitting the object ball.
a fluke or lucky shot.

(in certain card games) a score of zero; nothing.

Baseball. scratch hit.

scratch wig.

Slang. money; cash.

adjective

used for hasty writing, notes, etc.: scratch paper.

without any allowance, penalty, or handicap, as a competitor or contestant.

Informal. done by or dependent on chance: a scratch shot.

Informal. gathered hastily and indiscriminately: a scratch crew.

done or made from scratch: a scratch cake.

Nearby words

scrapings, scrapper, scrapple, scrappy, scrapyard, scratch, scratch awl, scratch card, scratch coat, scratch file, scratch hardness

Idioms

from scratch,

from the very beginning or starting point.
from nothing; without resources: After the depression he started another business from scratch.

up to scratch, in conformity with a certain standard; adequate; satisfactory: The local symphony orchestra has improved this year, but it is still not up to scratch.

Origin of scratch

1425–75; late Middle English scracche (v.), blend of Middle English scratte to scratch, and cracche to scratch; cognate with Middle Dutch cratsen

Related forms

scratch·a·ble, adjectivescratch·a·bly, adverbscratch·er, nounscratch·less, adjective

scratch·like, adjectiveun·scratch·a·ble, adjectiveun·scratched, adjectiveun·scratch·ing, adjective

Definition for scratch (2 of 2)

Scratch

[ skrach ]

/ skrætʃ /

noun

Old Scratch; Satan.

Origin of Scratch

1730–40; alteration of scrat hermaphrodite (late Middle English scratte; compare Old English scritta (once), which may be an error for *scratta); cognate with Old Norse skratti devil, goblin, wizard, Old High German skraz wood-demon

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

Examples from the Web for scratch

“Scratch a liberal, find a fascist every time,” Woods tweeted in April.
How James Woods Became Obama’s Biggest Twitter Troll|Asawin Suebsaeng|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Starting from scratch is never easy—and the team of journalists had serious competitors in Russia's state-owned media.
Russia’s Freest Website Now Lives in Latvia|Anna Nemtsova|November 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“In the past, my goal was to have you scratch your head and then maybe nod it,” she says.
From Church of Christ to Pansexual Rapper|Tyler Gillespie|November 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“They are basically telling the FSA that they are not part of their plans and they are going to start from scratch,” he said.
No Syrian Rebels Allowed at ISIS War Conference|Josh Rogin|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Andre Torres, the former editor of Scratch Magazine, which began as an imprint of XXL, remembers similar hostile situations.
It Was All a Dream: Drama, Bullshit, and the Rebirth of The Source Magazine|Alex Suskind|October 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Several officers got very sore eyes, and the only thing to do with a scratch was to dab it with iodine at once.
A Prisoner in Turkey|John Still
There was a large sand pit in which we could walk about and scratch as we liked.
Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales|Hans Christian Andersen
Again the dog barked and put his nose to the ground, while, with his feet, he began to scratch among the leaves.
The Broncho Rider Boys with the Texas Rangers|Frank Fowler
Malicorne began to scratch his ear, as he asked, "What time did the king fix for the rendezvous in your apartments?"
Louise de la Valliere|Alexandre Dumas, Pere
The judge passed nimbly around the desk and shook the Scratch Hiller warmly by the hand.
The Prodigal Judge|Vaughan Kester

British Dictionary definitions for scratch

scratch

/ (skrætʃ) /

verb

to mark or cut (the surface of something) with a rough or sharp instrument

(often foll by at, out, off, etc) to scrape (the surface of something), as with claws, nails, etc

to scrape (the surface of the skin) with the nails, as to relieve itching

to chafe or irritate (a surface, esp the skin)

to make or cause to make a grating sound; scrape

(tr sometimes foll by out) to erase by or as if by scraping

(tr) to write or draw awkwardly

(intr sometimes foll by along) to earn a living, manage, etc, with difficulty

to withdraw (an entry) from a race, match, etc

(intr) billiards snooker

to make a shot resulting in a penalty
to make a lucky shot

(tr) US to cancel (the name of a candidate) from a party ticket in an election

(intr often foll by for) Australian informal to be struggling or in difficulty, esp in earning a living

to treat (a subject) superficially

you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours if you will help me, I will help you

noun

the act of scratching

a slight injury

a mark made by scratching

a slight grating sound

(in a handicap sport)

a competitor or the status of a competitor who has no allowance or receives a penalty
(as modifier)a scratch player

the time, initial score, etc, of such a competitor

the line from which competitors start in a race
(formerly) a line drawn on the floor of a prize ring at which the contestants stood to begin or continue fighting

a withdrawn competitor in a race, etc

billiards snooker

a shot that results in a penalty, as when the cue ball enters the pocket
a lucky shot

poultry food

from scratch informal from the very beginning

up to scratch (usually used with a negative) informal up to standard

adjective

sport (of a team) assembled hastily

(in a handicap sport) with no allowance or penalty

informal rough or haphazard

Word Origin for scratch

C15: via Old French escrater from Germanic; compare Old High German krazzōn (German kratzen); related to Old French gratter to grate 1

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 scratch (1 of 3)

scratch

c.1400, probably a fusion of Middle English scratten and crachen, both meaning "to scratch," both of uncertain origin. Related: Scratched; scratching.

Billiards sense of "to hit the cue ball into a pocket" is first recorded 1909 (also, originally, itch), though earlier it meant "a lucky shot" (1850). Meaning "to withdraw (a horse) from a race" is 1865, from notion of scratching name off list of competitors; used in a non-sporting sense of "cancel a plan, etc." from 1680s. To scratch the surface "make only slight progress in penetrating or understanding" is from 1882. To scratch (one's) head as a gesture of perplexity is recorded from 1712.

Word Origin and History for scratch (1 of 3)

Scratch

n.2

in Old Scratch "the Devil," 1740, from earlier Scrat, from Old Norse skratte "goblin, wizard," a word which was used in late Old English to gloss "hermaphrodite;" probably originally "monster" (cf. Old High German scraz, scrato "satyr, wood demon," German Schratt, Old High German screz "a goblin, imp, dwarf;" borrowed from Germanic into Slavic, e.g. Polish skrzot "a goblin").

Word Origin and History for scratch (2 of 3)

scratch

1580s, "slight skin tear produced by a sharp thing," from scratch (v.). Meaning "mark or slight furrow in metal, etc." is from 1660s. American English slang sense of "money" is from 1914, of uncertain signification. Many figurative senses (e.g. up to scratch, originally "ready to meet one's opponent") are from sporting use for "line or mark drawn as a starting place," attested from 1778 (but the earliest use is figurative); meaning "nothing" (as in from scratch) is 1918, generalized from specific 19c. sporting sense of "starting point of a competitor who receives no odds in a handicap match." Sense in billiards is from 1850. Scratch-pad is attested from 1883.

Idioms and Phrases with scratch

scratch

In addition to the idioms beginning with scratch

scratch one's head
scratch someone's back
scratch the surface

also see:

from scratch
up to par (scratch)

scratch

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

adjective

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of scratch

Definition for scratch (2 of 2)

Scratch

noun

Origin of Scratch

Examples from the Web for scratch

British Dictionary definitions for scratch

scratch

verb

noun

adjective

Word Origin for scratch

Word Origin and History for scratch (1 of 3)

scratch

Word Origin and History for scratch (1 of 3)

Scratch

Word Origin and History for scratch (2 of 3)

scratch

Idioms and Phrases with scratch

scratch