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.

Scratches occasionally do so, since animals lick their paws.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 26, 2022

Scratches their belly button while trying to do any sort of mental arithmetic.

From The Guardian • Aug. 8, 2019

Scratches on nuclear storage canisters at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station pose no safety concerns to the public, according to a new analysis from federal regulators.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2019

Scratches on a nearby stone wall were left by fishmongers of centuries sharpening their knives.

From Washington Times • Dec. 18, 2014

Scratches crisscrossed his arms, and his knuckles were scraped raw.

From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez

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