scratch
Part of speech: verb
noun
adj
Morphological type: simple
Topics: athletics
ball-games
billiards
computing
cycling
engineering
entertainment
games
hobbies
horse-racing
horseracing
horses
lifestyle
mathematics
music
natural-sciences
pets
physical-sciences
racing
sciences
sports
swimming
Etymology: From Middle English scracchen, of uncertain origin. Probably a blend of Middle English scratten (“to scratch”) and cracchen (“to scratch”). More at scrat and cratch.
Inflected forms:
form: scratches
pos: verb
tags: present
singular
third-person
form: scratching
pos: verb
tags: participle
present
form: scratched
pos: verb
tags: participle
past
form: scratched
pos: verb
tags: past
form: scratches
pos: noun
tags: plural
Senses:
gloss: To rub a surface with a sharp object, especially by a living creature to remove itching with nails, claws, etc.
pos: verb
examples: Could you please scratch my back?
Then riſing with Aurora’s Light, / The Muse invok’d, ſit down to write; / Blot out, correct, inſert, refine, / Enlarge, diminiſh, interline; / Be mindful, when Invention fails, / To ſcratch your Head, and bite your Nails.
gloss: To rub the skin with rough material causing a sensation of irritation; to cause itching.
pos: verb
examples: I don't like that new scarf because it scratches my neck.
Sometimes I lost track of them and had to hunt round in a circle, thrusting through sharp-scented bushes, scratching myself [translating m’écorchant] on various plants which were still new to me: resinaceous rock-roses, juniper, ilex, yellow and white asphodel.
gloss: To rub the skin with rough material causing a sensation of irritation; to cause itching.
pos: verb
gloss: To mark a surface with a sharp object, thereby leaving a scratch (noun).
pos: verb
examples: A real diamond can easily scratch a pane of glass.
gloss: To get such scratches.
pos: verb
examples: This platter scratches easily.
gloss: To cross out, strike out, strike through some text on a page.
pos: verb
gloss: To cross out, strike out, strike through some text on a page.
pos: verb
examples: Scratch what I said earlier; I was wrong.
When the favorite was scratched from the race, there was a riot at the betting windows.
gloss: To produce a distinctive sound on a turntable by moving a vinyl record back and forth while manipulating the crossfader (see also scratching).
pos: verb
gloss: To commit a foul in pool, as where the cue ball is put into a pocket or jumps off the table.
pos: verb
examples: Embarrassingly, he scratched on the break, popping the cue completely off the table.
gloss: To score, not by skillful play but by some fortunate chance of the game.
pos: verb
tags: US
dated
gloss: To write or draw hastily or awkwardly; scrawl.
pos: verb
examples: 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.
gloss: To dig or excavate with the claws.
pos: verb
tags: ambitransitive
examples: Some animals scratch holes, in which they burrow.
gloss: To dig or scrape (a person's skin) with claws or fingernails in self-defense or with the intention to injure.
pos: verb
examples: The cat scratched the little girl.
gloss: 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.
pos: verb
examples: 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 having raced the 100m between 2015 and 2020.
Hurtis-Houairi, in lane three, quickly caught Arron, who was in lane four, winning in 22.80. Arron, who scratched the 100m semis in order to focus on the longer sprint, could only run 23.44.
gloss: A disruption, mark or shallow cut on a surface made by scratching.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: I can’t believe there is a scratch in the paint already.
Her skin was covered with tiny scratches.
God forbid a shallow scratch should drive / The prince of Wales from such a field as this.
The coarse file[…]makes deep scratches in the work.
These nails with scratches deform my breast.
Thus, when he drew up instructions in lawyer language, he expressed the important words by an initial, a medial, or a final consonant, and made scratches for all the words between; his clerks, however, understood him very well.
A very neat old woman, still in her good outdoor coat and best beehive hat, was sitting at a polished mahogany table on whose surface there were several scored scratches so deep that a triangular piece of the veneer had come cleanly away,[…].
gloss: An act of scratching the skin to alleviate an itch or irritation.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: The dog sat up and had a good scratch.
gloss: A starting line (originally and simply, a line scratched in the ground), as in boxing.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: He started a few seconds before the time and came up in speed to the scratch at the moment appointed.
gloss: 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.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
gloss: The last riders to depart in a handicap race.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: Eventually the elephant and camel were despatched by themselves with two laps start of the bicyclist and horse, the motor car being scratch.
gloss: An aberration.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
gloss: An aberration.
pos: noun
tags: US
archaic
countable
slang
uncountable
gloss: A horse withdrawn from a race prior to the start.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: There were two scratches in race 8, which reduced the field from nine horses to seven.
gloss: A minor injury.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: It's just a scratch!
gloss: Money; especially, cash.
pos: noun
tags: countable
slang
uncountable
examples: He and Bruce cooked up a script together, and Bruce flew home to raise the scratch.
gloss: A feed, usually a mixture of a few common grains, given to chickens.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
gloss: 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.
pos: noun
tags: countable
in-plural
uncountable
examples: 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[…].
gloss: A scratch wig.
pos: noun
tags: countable
historical
uncountable
examples: [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.
gloss: A genre of Virgin Islander music, better known as fungi.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
gloss: Poor handwriting; especially, illegibly so.
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
examples: The handwriting in his paper is completely different when compared to his scratch on the note you gave me
gloss: Nothing, zero. Used especially in card games or sports, but also expressions like "from scratch".
pos: noun
tags: countable
uncountable
gloss: For or consisting of preliminary or tentative, incomplete, etc. work.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
examples: This is scratch paper, so go ahead and scribble whatever you want on it.
gloss: Hastily assembled, arranged or constructed, from whatever materials are to hand, with little or no preparation
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
examples: 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.
Bluecoats began crossing the James on June 14 and next day two corps approached Petersburg, which was held by Beauregard with a scratch force of 2,500.
gloss: Relating to a scratchpad, a data structure or recording medium attached to a machine for testing or temporary use.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
examples: scratch memory
gloss: (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.
pos: adj
tags: not-comparable
examples: ... 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.
Derived words: head-scratching
scratch a liberal and a fascist bleeds
scratch a liberal and you'll find a fascist
scratch a living
scratch-and-dent
scratch and sniff
scratch an itch
scratch below the surface
scratch beneath the surface
scratch by
scratcher
scratch one's head
scratch one's own itch
scratch-out
scratch out
scratchpad
scratch someone's back
scratch that
scratch the itch
scratch the surface
scratch together
scratch up
scratchy
you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours
cat scratch
cat scratch disease
cat-scratch fever
chicken scratch
come to the scratch
needle scratch
no great scratch
Old Scratch
scratchband
scratch-built
scratch card
scratch comma
scratch hit
scratch made
scratch plough
scratch print
scratch-proof
scratch race
scratch team
start from scratch
tight scratch
up to scratch
without a scratch
scratch pad
scratch paper
scratch sheet
scratch tape
Translations:
lang: Albanian
word: gërryej
lang: Albanian
word: gërric
lang: Albanian
word: gërrith
lang: Arabic
word: خَرْبَشَ
roman: ḵarbaša
lang: Arabic
word: خربش
roman: ḵarbiš
lang: Arabic
word: خَرْبَش
roman: ḵarbaš
lang: Armenian
word: քերծել
roman: kʻercel
lang: Armenian
word: քորել
roman: kʻorel
lang: Assamese
word: আঁচোৰ
roman: ãsür
lang: Azerbaijani
word: cızmaq
lang: Belarusian
word: дра́паць
roman: drápacʹ
lang: Bulgarian
word: дра́щя
roman: dráštja
lang: Bulgarian
word: дра́скам
roman: dráskam
lang: Burmese
word: ကုတ်
roman: kut
lang: Catalan
word: rascar
lang: Catalan
word: esgarrapar
lang: Catalan
word: gratar
lang: Chinese Cantonese
word: 𢯎
roman: ngaau¹
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 抓
roman: zhuā
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 划
roman: huá
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 搔
roman: sāo
lang: Czech
word: škrábat
lang: Czech
word: škrábnout
lang: Czech
word: poškrabat
lang: Danish
word: klø
lang: Danish
word: ridse
lang: Dutch
word: krassen
lang: Dutch
word: krabben
lang: Elfdalian
word: raiva
lang: Esperanto
word: grati
lang: Estonian
word: sügama
lang: Estonian
word: kratsima
lang: Faroese
word: skava
lang: Faroese
word: skøva
lang: Faroese
word: rispa
lang: Finnish
word: raapia
lang: Finnish
word: kynsiä
lang: Finnish
word: rapsuttaa
lang: French
word: gratter
lang: Galician
word: rascar
lang: Galician
word: cozar
lang: Galician
word: rañar
lang: Galician
word: fuñir
lang: Georgian
word: კაწვრა
roman: ḳac̣vra
lang: Georgian
word: ფხაჭნა
roman: pxač̣na
lang: Georgian
word: გაკაწვრა
roman: gaḳac̣vra
lang: German
word: kratzen
lang: Greek
word: ξύνω
roman: xýno
lang: Ancient Greek
word: ξύω
roman: xúō
lang: Ancient Greek
word: κνήθω
roman: knḗthō
lang: Hebrew
word: גֵּרֵד
roman: geréd
lang: Hindi
word: नोचना
roman: nocnā
lang: Hungarian
word: vakar
lang: Hungarian
word: megvakar
lang: Hungarian
word: karcol
lang: Hungarian
word: megkarcol
lang: Hungarian
word: karistol
lang: Hungarian
word: kapar
lang: Icelandic
word: skafa
lang: Icelandic
word: rispa
lang: Ingrian
word: kraappia
lang: Ingrian
word: kraapata
lang: Ingrian
word: karsia
lang: Ingrian
word: karsittaa
lang: Ingrian
word: kraamia
lang: Irish
word: scríob
lang: Irish
word: tochais
lang: Italian
word: grattare
lang: Italian
word: graffiare
lang: Japanese
word: 引っ掻く
roman: hikkaku
lang: Kashubian
word: drapac
lang: Khmer
word: អេះ
roman: ʼeh
lang: Korean
word: 긁다
roman: geukda
lang: Korean
word: 할퀴다
roman: halkwida
lang: Ladino
word: araskar
lang: Ladino
word: areskunyar
lang: Latin
word: scabō
lang: Latin
word: scalpō
lang: Lombard
word: grattà
lang: Lushootseed
word: ʔix̌
lang: Macedonian
word: драска
roman: draska
lang: Malay
word: menggaru
lang: Māori
word: ope
lang: Māori
word: raku
lang: Māori
word: rakuraku
lang: Māori
word: raraku
lang: Māori
word: rapi
lang: Māori
word: rapirapi
lang: Māori
word: rarapi
lang: Nivkh
word: ӽарпть
roman: ẋarpț
lang: Occitan
word: rascar
lang: Occitan
word: gratar
lang: Old Galician-Portuguese
word: coçar
lang: Oromo
word: hooquu
lang: Persian
word: خراشیدن
roman: xarâšidan
lang: Polish
word: drapać
lang: Polish
word: drapnąć
lang: Polish
word: skrobać
lang: Polish
word: skrobnąć
lang: Portuguese
word: coçar
lang: Portuguese
word: rascar
lang: Portuguese
word: raspar
lang: Rapa Nui
word: raku
lang: Romanian
word: scărpina
lang: Romansh
word: sgrattar
lang: Russian
word: цара́пать
roman: carápatʹ
lang: Russian
word: поцара́пать
roman: pocarápatʹ
lang: Russian
word: шкря́бать
roman: škrjábatʹ
lang: Russian
word: пошкря́бать
roman: poškrjábatʹ
lang: Sanskrit
word: रदति
roman: radati
lang: Slovak
word: škrabať
lang: Spanish
word: rascar
lang: Swedish
word: klösa
lang: Sylheti
word: ꠀꠌ꠆ꠞꠣꠘꠤ
roman: asrani
lang: Tetum
word: koi
lang: Thai
word: เกา
roman: gao
lang: Tibetan
word: སྦར་བྲད་བརྒྱབ
roman: sbar brad brgyab
lang: Turkish
word: çizmek
lang: Ottoman Turkish
word: قازیمق
roman: kazımak
lang: Ukrainian
word: шкря́бати
roman: škrjábaty
lang: Ukrainian
word: дря́пати
roman: drjápaty
lang: Vietnamese
word: gãi
lang: Welsh
word: crafu
lang: Welsh
word: cripio
lang: West Flemish
word: schartn
lang: West Flemish
word: skartn
lang: Yao (Africa)
word: kumwaga
lang: Yiddish
word: קראַצן
roman: kratsn
lang: Yiddish
word: צעקראַצן
roman: tsekratsn
lang: Zazaki
word: wıreynayen
lang: Zazaki
word: wıreyen
lang: Zealandic
word: krasse
lang: Zealandic
word: kraeuwe
lang: Albanian
word: gërvisht
lang: Armenian
word: ճանկռել
roman: čankṙel
lang: Azerbaijani
word: qaşımaq
lang: Belarusian
word: часа́ць
roman: časácʹ
lang: Bulgarian
word: жу́ля
roman: žúlja
lang: Catalan
word: gratar
lang: Chinese Mandarin
word: 搔癢 /搔痒
roman: sāoyǎng
lang: Faroese
word: skriða
lang: Faroese
word: skræða
lang: Finnish
word: hieroa
lang: Finnish
word: hiertää
lang: French
word: égratigner
lang: Galician
word: rafar
lang: Galician
word: eslasar
lang: Galician
word: raspiñar
lang: Galician
word: raspar
lang: German
word: kratzen
lang: Greek
word: ξύνω
roman: xýno
lang: Ancient Greek
word: ξύω
roman: xúō
lang: Ancient Greek
word: ἀμύσσω
roman: amússō
lang: Gujarati
word: ખંજવાળવું
roman: khãjvāḷvũ
lang: Hungarian
word: szúr
lang: Indonesian
word: garuk
lang: Italian
word: graffiare
lang: Italian
word: raspare
lang: Italian
word: grattare
lang: Latin
word: scabō
lang: Lithuanian
word: braižyti
lang: Marathi
word: खाजवणे
roman: khājavṇe
lang: Norwegian Nynorsk
word: klø
lang: Portuguese
word: raspar
lang: Portuguese
word: arranhar
lang: Romanian
word: zgâria
lang: Russian
word: чеса́ть
roman: česátʹ
lang: Russian
word: почеса́ть
roman: počesátʹ
lang: Russian
word: царапать
roman: carapatʹ
lang: Russian
word: поцарапать
roman: pocarapatʹ
lang: Spanish
word: raspar
lang: Sundanese
word: garo
lang: Tagalog
word: kamot
lang: Tagalog
word: kagkag
lang: Turkish
word: kaşındırmak
lang: Ukrainian
word: чу́хати
roman: čúxaty
lang: Zazaki
word: wıreyneyayen
lang: Zealandic
word: kraeuwe
lang: Bulgarian
word: одра́сквам
roman: odráskvam
lang: Catalan
word: arpejar
lang: Chinese Cantonese
word: 刮
roman: gwaat³
lang: Dutch
word: krassen
lang: Estonian
word: kriimustama
lang: Finnish
word: naarmuttaa
lang: Finnish
word: raapia
lang: French
word: rayer
lang: Galician
word: rabuñar
lang: Galician
word: gaduñar
lang: Galician
word: eslagañar
lang: Galician
word: raspuñar
lang: Galician
word: grafiñar
lang: German
word: zerkratzen
lang: German
word: verkratzen
lang: Greek
word: χαράσσω
roman: charásso
lang: Ancient Greek
word: κνίζω
roman: knízō
lang: Hebrew
word: שָׂרַט
roman: sarat
lang: Hungarian
word: karcol
lang: Hungarian
word: megkarcol
lang: Italian
word: graffiare
lang: Latin
word: scabo
lang: Portuguese
word: arranhar
lang: Portuguese
word: riscar
lang: Quechua
word: hallp'iy
lang: Quechua
word: hasp'iy
lang: Romanian
word: zgâria
lang: Romansh
word: sgrifflar
lang: Russian
word: цара́пать
roman: carápatʹ
lang: Russian
word: поцара́пать
roman: pocarápatʹ
lang: Spanish
word: arañar
lang: Spanish
word: rasguñar
lang: Spanish
word: rayar
lang: Turkish
word: çizmek
lang: Ottoman Turkish
word: قازیمق
roman: kazımak
lang: Ottoman Turkish
word: چیزمك
roman: çizmek
lang: Zazaki
word: xizen