Etymology : Middle English scracchen, probably blend of scratten to scratch and cracchen to scratch
Pronunciation : 'skrach
Function : verb
Date : 15th century
1. scrape, abrasion; cut, small laceration; grating sound produced by scratching; scrawl, scribble; score of zero; starting line for a race; cash, money (Slang). scrape, rub; make a small cut or laceration; scrape with the fingernails to relieve an itch; make a grating sound; scribble, scrawl; achieve or obtain with difficulty; delete, cross out. remove from the list, cancel I saw the list of players on the team. I've been scratched. money, loot. scratch\scratch\, v. i.
2. to use the claws or nails in tearing or in digging; to make scratches. dull, tame things, that will neither bite nor scratch. h. more.
3. (billiards) to score, not by skillful play but by some fortunate chance of the game. [cant, u. s.]scratch \scratch\, n.
4. a break in the surface of a thing made by scratching, or by rubbing with anything pointed or rough; a slight wound, mark, furrow, or incision. the coarse file makes deep scratches in the work. these nails with scratches deform my breast. god forbid a shallow scratch should drive the prince of wales from such a field as this.
5. (pugilistic matches) a line across the prize ring; up to which boxers are brought when they join fight; hence, test, trial, or proof of courage; as, to bring to the scratch; to come up to the scratch. [cant].
6. pl. (far.) 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. --law (farmer's veter. adviser).
7. a kind of wig covering only a portion of the head.
8. (billiards) a shot which scores by chance and not as intended by the player; a fluke. [cant, u. s.]scratch cradle. see:
cratch cradle, under cratch.scratch grass (bot.), a climbing knotweed (polygonum sagittatum) with a square stem beset with fine recurved prickles along the angles.scratch wig. same as scratch, 4, above.scratch \scratch\ , v. t. [imp. & p. p. scratched ; p. pr. & vb. n. scratching.] [oe. cracchen (perhaps influenced by oe. scratten to scratch); cf. ohg. chrazzōn, g. kratzen, od. kratsen, kretsen, d. krassen, sw. kratsa to scrape, kratta to rake, to scratch, dan. kradse to scratch, to scrape, icel. krota to engrave. cf. grate to rub.].
9. to rub and tear or mark the surface of with something sharp or ragged; to scrape, roughen, or wound slightly by drawing something pointed or rough across, as the claws, the nails, a pin, or the like. small sand-colored stones, so hard as to scratch glass. be mindful, when invention fails, to scratch your head, and bite your nails.
10. to write or draw hastily or awkwardly. "scratch out a pamphlet.".
11. to cancel by drawing one or more lines through, as the name of a candidate upon a ballot, or of a horse in a list; hence, to erase; to efface; -- often with out.
12. to dig or excavate with the claws; as, some animals scratch holes, in which they burrow.
13. To rub and tear or mark the surface of with something sharp or ragged; to scrape, roughen, or wound slightly by drawing something pointed or rough across, as the claws, the nails, a pin, or the like.
14. To write or draw hastily or awkwardly.
15. To cancel by drawing one or more lines through, as the name of a candidate upon a ballot, or of a horse in a list; hence, to erase; to efface; often with out.
16. To dig or excavate with the claws; as, some animals scratch holes, in which they burrow.
17. To use the claws or nails in tearing or in digging; to make scratches.
18. To score, not by skillful play but by some fortunate chance of the game.
19. A break in the surface of a thing made by scratching, or by rubbing with anything pointed or rough; a slight wound, mark, furrow, or incision.
20. A line across the prize ring; up to which boxers are brought when they join fight; hence, test, trial, or proof of courage; as, to bring to the scratch; to come up to the scratch.
21. 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.
22. A kind of wig covering only a portion of the head.
23. A shot which scores by chance and not as intended by the player; a fluke.
24. Made, done, or happening by chance; arranged with little or no preparation; determined by circumstances; haphazard; as, a scratch team; a scratch crew for a boat race; a scratch shot in billiards.
25. In various sports, the line from which the start is made, except in the case of contestants receiving a distance handicap. an indication of damage cut the surface of; wear away the surface of.
26. 1. If you scratch yourself, you rub your fingernails against your skin because it is itching. He scratched himself under his arm The old man lifted his cardigan to scratch his side I had to wear long sleeves to stop myself scratching.
27. If a sharp object scratches someone or something, it makes small shallow cuts on their skin or surface. The branches tore at my jacket and scratched my hands and face Knives will scratch the worktop.
28. Scratches on someone or something are small shallow cuts. The seven-year-old was found crying with scratches on his face and neck.
29. If you do something from scratch, you do it without making use of anything that has been done before. Building a home from scratch can be both exciting and challenging.
30. If you say that someone is scratching their head, you mean that they are thinking hard and trying to solve a problem or puzzle. The Institute spends a lot of time scratching its head about how to boost American productivity.
31. If you only scratch the surface of a subject or problem, you find out or do a small amount, but not enough to understand or solve it. Officials say they've only scratched the surface of the drug problem We had only two weeks to tour Malaysia, which was hardly enough time to scratch the surface.
32. If you say that someone or something is not up to scratch, you mean that they are not good enough. My mother always made me feel I wasn't coming up to scratch.