scratch
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scratch¹
- /skɹæt͡ʃ/
Rhymes with -ætʃ
Where it comes from
From Middle English scracchen, of uncertain origin. Potentially a blend of Middle English scratten (“to scratch”) and cracchen (“to scratch”). Ultimately onomatopoeic. More at scrat and cratch.
Compare Old English scrama, Old Norse skråma, German Schramme (“scratch”), which may be related.
verb scratches · scratching · scratched
-
To rub a surface with a sharp object, especially by a living creature to remove itching with nails, claws, etc.
Could you please scratch my back?
Similar: scrabble
- To rub the skin with rough material causing a sensation of irritation; to cause itching. I don't like that new scarf because it scratches my neck.
- To irritate someone's skin with one's unshaven beard when kissing.
- To mark a surface with a sharp object, thereby leaving a scratch (noun). A real diamond can easily scratch a pane of glass.
- To get such scratches. This platter scratches easily.
- To cross out, strike out, strike through some text on a page.
- Hence, to remove, ignore, or delete. Scratch what I said earlier; I was wrong.
- To produce a distinctive sound on a turntable by moving a vinyl record back and forth while manipulating the crossfader (see also scratching).
- To commit a foul in pool, as where the cue ball is put into a pocket or jumps off the table. Embarrassingly, he scratched on the break, popping the cue completely off the table.
- To score, not by skillful play but by some fortunate chance of the game.
- To write or draw hastily or awkwardly; scrawl. If any of the Labourers can ſcratch out a Pamphlet, they deſire no more; There is no Queſtion offered about the Wit, the Style, the Argument.
- To dig or excavate with the claws. Some animals scratch holes, in which they burrow.
- To dig or scrape (a person's skin) with claws or fingernails in self-defense or with the intention to injure. The cat scratched the little girl.
- To announce one's non-participation in a race or sports event part of a larger sports meeting that one was previously signed up for, usually in lieu of another event at the same meeting. Kerley, 26, is the 2019 World bronze medalist at 400 meters, a distance he is known for and with which he also won the 2017 and 2019 U.S. titles, but surprised the track world by announcing one week ago that he scratched the 400m and would focus on the 100m and 200m in Eugene, Oregon, despite not ha
noun scratches
- A disruption, mark or shallow cut on a surface made by scratching. I can’t believe there is a scratch in the paint already.
- An act of scratching the skin to alleviate an itch or irritation. The dog sat up and had a good scratch.
- A starting line (originally and simply, a line scratched in the ground), as in boxing. He started a few seconds before the time and came up in speed to the scratch at the moment appointed.
- A technical error of touching or surpassing the starting mark prior to the official start signal in the sporting events of long jump, discus, hammer throw, shot put, and similar. Originally the starting mark was a scratch on the ground but is now a board or precisely indicated mark.
- The last riders to depart in a handicap race. Eventually the elephant and camel were despatched by themselves with two laps start of the bicyclist and horse, the motor car being scratch.
- A foul in pool, as where the cue ball is put into a pocket or jumps off the table.
- A shot which scores by chance and not as intended by the player; a fluke.
- A horse withdrawn from a race prior to the start. There were two scratches in race 8, which reduced the field from nine horses to seven.
- A minor injury. It's just a scratch!
- Money; especially, cash. He and Bruce cooked up a script together, and Bruce flew home to raise the scratch.
-
A feed, usually a mixture of a few common grains, given to chickens.
Similar: chicken scratch
- Minute, but tender and troublesome, excoriations, covered with scabs, upon the heels of horses which have been used where it is very wet or muddy. These are exemplified in the scurfy, scaly affections which appear in the bend of the knee (mallenders) and hock (sallenders) and on the lower parts of the limbs, by scratches, and by a scaly exfoliation[…].
- A scratch wig. [H]e turned to him with a dejected Face, and said ‘ – pray Sir, – could you touch up This a little?’ taking hold of his frightful scratch.
- A genre of Virgin Islander music, better known as fungi.
-
Poor handwriting; especially, illegibly so.
The handwriting in his paper is completely different when compared to his scratch on the note you gave me
Similar: chicken scratch, scrawl
- Nothing, zero. Used especially in card games or sports, but also expressions like "from scratch".
adjective
- For or consisting of preliminary or tentative, incomplete, etc. work. This is scratch paper, so go ahead and scribble whatever you want on it.
- Hastily assembled, arranged or constructed, from whatever materials are to hand, with little or no preparation A scratch company of two innocuous youths and a pacified veteran was therefore what now offered itself to Mrs. Stringham, who rustled in a little breathless and full of the compunction of having had to come alone.
- Relating to a scratchpad, a data structure or recording medium attached to a machine for testing or temporary use. scratch memory
- (of a player) Of a standard high enough to play without a handicap, i.e. to compete without the benefit of a variation in scoring based on ability. ... the shot that does most to make a genuine scratch golfer is the mashie shot up to the pin — not merely up to the green.
Scratch²
Where it comes from
From scratch.
proper noun
- A free educational visual programming language and a programming site developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab.
- A surname.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: scraping, itch, scrape, chafe, abrasion, excoriation, rub, slit, prick, fret, scar, notch, fray, mark, incision, scrawl
Translations
Every language
verb rub a surface with a sharp object
| Español | rascar |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 긁다 geukda, 할퀴다 halkwida |
| 日本語 | 引っ掻く hikkaku |
| 中文 | 抓 zhuā, 划 huá, 搔 sāo |
| हिन्दी | नोचना nocnā |
| Português | coçar, rascar, raspar |
| Français | gratter |
| Deutsch | kratzen |
| Italiano | grattare, graffiare |
| Ελληνικά | ξύνω xýno |
| Română | scărpina |
| Русский | цара́пать carápatʹ, поцара́пать pocarápatʹ, шкря́бать škrjábatʹ, пошкря́бать poškrjábatʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | gãi |
| العربية | خَرْبَشَ ḵarbaša |
| עברית | גֵּרֵד geréd |
verb rub the skin with rough material
| Español | raspar |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 搔癢 /搔痒 sāoyǎng |
| Português | raspar, arranhar |
| Français | égratigner |
| Deutsch | kratzen |
| Italiano | graffiare, raspare, grattare |
| Ελληνικά | ξύνω xýno |
| Română | zgâria |
| Русский | чеса́ть česátʹ, почеса́ть počesátʹ, царапать carapatʹ, поцарапать pocarapatʹ |
verb mark a surface with a sharp object
| Español | arañar, rasguñar, rayar |
|---|---|
| Português | arranhar, riscar |
| Français | rayer |
| Deutsch | zerkratzen, verkratzen |
| Italiano | graffiare |
| Ελληνικά | χαράσσω charásso |
| Română | zgâria |
| Русский | цара́пать carápatʹ, поцара́пать pocarápatʹ |
| עברית | שָׂרַט sarat |
verb remove, ignore, or delete
| Português | apagar, riscar |
|---|---|
| Français | biffer, rayer, oblitérer |
| Italiano | obliterare |
| Ελληνικά | σβήνω svíno |
| Русский | зачеркну́ть začerknútʹ, зачёркать začórkatʹ, вы́черкнуть výčerknutʹ |
verb write or draw hastily or awkwardly
| Português | escrevinhar |
|---|---|
| Français | griffonner |
verb dig or scrape with claws or fingernails with the intention to injure
| Español | arañar |
|---|---|
| Português | arranhar |
| Français | griffer |
| Deutsch | kratzen |
| Русский | поцара́пать pocarápatʹ, поцара́паться pocarápatʹsja |
| עברית | שָׂרַט sarát |
noun disruption or mark on a surface
| Español | arañazo, rayadura |
|---|---|
| Português | arranhão, risco |
| Français | éraflure, égratignure, rayure |
| Deutsch | Kratzer |
| Italiano | graffio, strappo, incrinatura |
| Ελληνικά | γρατζουνιά gratzouniá |
| Русский | цара́пина carápina |
| Tiếng Việt | vết cào, vết xước |
| עברית | שְׂרִיטָה s'ritá |
noun an act of scratching the skin to alleviate an itch or irritation
| Italiano | grattamento |
|---|---|
| Русский | чеса́ние česánije |
Talk about this word "scratch." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/scratch. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. scratch. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/scratch "scratch." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/scratch.
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@misc{scratch_2026,
title = {scratch},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/scratch},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
