Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To make a thin shallow cut or mark on (a surface) with a sharp instrument.
- intransitive verb To use the nails or claws to dig or scrape at.
- intransitive verb To rub or scrape (the skin) to relieve itching.
- intransitive verb To scrape or strike on an abrasive surface.
- intransitive verb To write or draw (something) by scraping a surface.
- intransitive verb To write or draw hurriedly.
- intransitive verb To strike out or cancel (a word, for example) by or as if by drawing lines through.
- intransitive verb Slang To cancel (a project or program, for example).
- intransitive verb To withdraw (an entry) from a contest.
- intransitive verb To use the nails or claws to dig, scrape, or wound.
- intransitive verb To rub or scrape the skin to relieve itching.
- intransitive verb To make a harsh scraping sound.
- intransitive verb To gather funds or produce a living with difficulty.
- intransitive verb To withdraw from a contest.
- intransitive verb Games To make a shot in billiards that results in a penalty, as when the cue ball falls into a pocket or jumps the cushion.
- noun A mark resembling a line that is produced by scratching.
- noun A slight wound.
- noun A hasty scribble.
- noun A sound made by scratching.
- noun Sports The starting line for a race.
- noun A contestant who has been withdrawn from a competition.
- noun The act of scratching in billiards.
- noun A fluke or chance shot in billiards.
- noun Poultry feed.
- noun Slang Money.
- adjective Done haphazardly or by chance.
- adjective Assembled hastily or at random.
- adjective Sports Having no golf handicap.
- idiom (from scratch) From the very beginning.
- idiom (scratch the surface) To investigate or treat something in superficial or preliminary fashion.
- idiom (up to scratch) Meeting the requirements.
- idiom (up to scratch) In fit condition.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A break in the surface of a thing made by scratching, or by rubbing with anything pointed; a slight furrow; a score: as, a scratch on wood or glass.
- noun A slight wound; a laceration; a slight incision: as, he escaped with a mere scratch on the face.
- noun plural A disease in horses, consisting of dry chaps, rifts, or scabs between the heel and the pastern-joint.
- noun In various contests:
- noun The line from which the contestants start.
- noun A line drawn across a prize-ring, to which boxers are brought in order to join fight. See
to come up to the scratch , under come. - noun The starting-point or time of starting of a player or contestant who has to make the full score or who is allowed no odds in a handicap game or contest; also, a player or competitor holding such a position.
- noun In billiards, a stroke which is successful, but not in the way intended; a fluke.
- noun A kind of wig covering only a part of the head; a scratch-wig.
- noun A calcareous, earthy, or stony substance which separates from sea-water in boiling it for salt.
- noun A scrawl.
- Taken at random or haphazard, or without regard to qualifications; taken indiscriminately; heterogeneous: as, a scratch crew.
- Without handicap or allowance of time or distance: noting a race or contest in which all competitors start from the same mark or on even terms, or a competitor who receives no handicap allowance.
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Examples
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Later he was roused by a "_Scratch, scratch, scratch_" close to him.
Two Little Savages Being the adventures of two boys who lived as Indians and what they learned
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Not going to buy it ... * scratch scratch* ... not going to buy it.
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There is what they call the scratch line, and when the dog crosses that line he is “scratched,” meaning he has full intent to get involved in the fight.
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Now you didn't want to write test data all over your good important data so before running a diagnostic you would replace the production disk (or tape) with what we called a scratch disk (or scratch tape).
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'Still, I don't think she ought to call it "scratch" when she's got an
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If its a cinderblock wall, which scratch is in for a great smack.
Kissing Suzy Kolber Blog Archive Peter King Does Not Approve ...
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Like your friend, my wife built our San Cristóbal house basically from scratch from a ruin in a great part of the historic centro and we have made serious modifications to the Ajijic house including a large new wing which has become our favorite part of the house, a brand new kitchen, installation of extensive colonial windows throughout in a house with virtually no windows when we purchased it.
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Starting from scratch is what many hospitals have been doing.
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Designing a website from scratch is always a major undertaking.
Women Grow Business » How 10 Site Design Laws Relate to Good Living, part 1
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If its a cinderblock wall, which scratch is in for a great smack.
hernesheir commented on the word scratch
A kind of wig covering only a portion of the head. --from the definitions.
January 6, 2013