scratches

American

[skrach-iz] / ˈskrætʃ ɪz /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

a disease of horses marked by dry rifts or chaps that appear on the skin near the fetlock, behind the knee, or in front of the hock.

scratches British

/ ˈskrætʃɪz /

noun

Also called: cracked heels. mud fever. (functioning as singular) a disease of horses characterized by dermatitis in the region of the fetlock

"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

Etymology

Origin of scratches

First recorded in 1605–15; see origin at scratch, -s ³

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

scratches

Duration measures how far a fund drops when rates rise, and a long-term Treasury fund can post deep losses on a move that barely scratches a short-term bond fund.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 28, 2026

He said the woman's kicks caused scratches that would cost "between two or three-hundred-pounds to put right".

From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026

Some looked almost identical to the classic “toothpick grooves” of fossil humans, complete with fine parallel scratches and tapering shapes.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 8, 2026

“Once I finished playing, I missed that competitive edge. When I realized I could do it in reffing, I was like, ‘Oh, this scratches that itch that I miss.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 2026

My neck and bum got scratched but scratches don't hurt like humiliation hurts.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023