scratch coat

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noun

(in plastering) a rough, deeply scored first coat upon which the brown coat is laid.

QUIZ

QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!

Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.

Question 1 of 7

“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

Origin of scratch coat

An Americanism dating back to 1815–25

scratch-coated, adjective

He wore white gloves, a dignified long black coat, and matching pants and vest, and he carried a dark walking stick.
The Black Man Who Replaced Jefferson Davis in the Senate|Philip Dray|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“You try to always scratch where the itch is,” Huckabee said about his campaigning and rhetoric in the 2008 primary.
Why This Liberal Hearts Huckabee|Sally Kohn|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“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
Place the thinly sliced shallots in a medium bowl and pour buttermilk over to coat.
Make Carla Hall’s Crispy Shallot Green Bean Casserole|Carla Hall|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

People will always scratch and save if a sudden burst of unrestrained pleasure can be purchased.
How Dickens and Scrooge Saved Christmas|Clive Irving|December 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But the Mexican caballeros had no notion of coming up to the scratch a third time.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
He is rather tall and narrow, and wears a long abb's coat reaching nearly down to his feet.
Music-Study in Germany|Amy Fay
You don't mind staying here in the sunshine, I hope, while my coat dries?
The Tale of Grandfather Mole|Arthur Scott Bailey
Presently he began to shiver so, with some sort of a chill, that I took off my coat and wrapped it round him.
The Boarded-Up House|Augusta Huiell Seaman
He scratched his head in vexation, sat down, and as he did so, saw that his coat hung also upon the chair.
The Homesteader|Oscar Micheaux