scratch

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See also: Scratch

English[edit]

English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia

Etymology[edit]

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.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • enPR: skrăch, IPA(key): /skɹætʃ/
  • Audio (US)
    		(file)
  • Rhymes: -ætʃ

Verb[edit]

scratch (third-person singular simple present scratches, present participle scratching, simple past and past participle scratched)

  1. 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?
    • 1733, [Jonathan Swift], On Poetry: A Rapsody, Dublin; London: […] [R. Fleming] [a]nd sold by J. Huggonson, […], OCLC 702325540, lines 85–90, pages 7–8:
      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.
  2. 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.
    1. For a man, when kissing someone, to irritate the skin of that person with one's unshaven beard.
  3. To mark a surface with a sharp object, thereby leaving a scratch (noun).
    A real diamond can easily scratch a pane of glass.
  4. To cross out, strike out, strike through some text on a page.
    1. Hence, to remove, ignore or delete.
      Scratch what I said earlier; I was wrong.
      When the favorite was scratched from the race, there was a riot at the betting windows.
  5. (music) To produce a distinctive sound on a turntable by moving a vinyl record back and forth while manipulating the crossfader (see also scratching).
  6. (billiards) 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.
  7. (billiards, dated, US) To score, not by skillful play but by some fortunate chance of the game.
  8. To write or draw hastily or awkwardly; scrawl.
    • 1714 February, [Jonathan Swift], The Publick Spirit of the Whigs: Set forth in Their Generous Encouragement of the Author of the Crisis: […], 3rd edition, London: […] [John Barber] for John Morphew, […], published 1714, OCLC 1015508897, page 1:
      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.
  9. (transitive, intransitive) To dig or excavate with the claws.
    Some animals scratch holes, in which they burrow.
  10. 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.
  11. (swimming, athletics) To announce one's non-participation in a race or sports event part of a larger sports meeting that they were previously signed up for, usually in lieu of another event at the same meeting.
    2021 June 21, Brandon Penny, NBC Sports‎[1]:
    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.
    2008 July 26, P-J Vazel, World Athletics‎[2]:
    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.

Synonyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Derived terms

Translations[edit]

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Noun[edit]

scratch (countable and uncountable, plural scratches)

  1. A disruption, mark or shallow cut on a surface made by scratching.
    I can’t believe there is a scratch in the paint already.
    Her skin was covered with tiny scratches.
    • 1591, William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Sixt”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, OCLC 606515358, [Act V, scene iv]:
      God forbid a shallow scratch should drive / The prince of Wales from such a field as this.
    • 1677-1684, Joseph Moxon, Mechanick Exercises
      The coarse file […] makes deep scratches in the work.
    • 1709, Matthew Prior, Henry and Emma, line 503
      These nails with scratches deform my breast.
    • 1892, Walter Besant, “Prologue: Who is Edmund Gray?”, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], OCLC 16832619:
      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.
    • 1963, Margery Allingham, “Foreword”, in The China Governess‎[3]:
      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, […].
  2. An act of scratching the skin to alleviate an itch or irritation.
    The dog sat up and had a good scratch.
  3. (sports)
    1. A starting line (originally and simply, a line scratched in the ground), as in boxing.
    2. 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.
    3. (cycling) The last riders to depart in a handicap race.
      • 1901, “Gleanings”, in The Agricultural Journal and Mining Record‎[4], volume 4, number 1, page 31:
        Eventually the elephant and camel were despatched by themselves with two laps start of the bicyclist and horse, the motor car being scratch.
    4. (billiards) An aberration.
      1. A foul in pool, as where the cue ball is put into a pocket or jumps off the table.
      2. (archaic, US, slang) A shot which scores by chance and not as intended by the player; a fluke.
    5. (horse racing) A horse withdrawn from a race prior to the start.
      There were two scratches in race 8, which reduced the field from 9 horses to 7.
  4. (slang) Money.
    • 2006, Clive James, North Face of Soho, Picador 2007, p. 153:
      He and Bruce cooked up a script together, and Bruce flew home to raise the scratch.
  5. A feed, usually a mixture of a few common grains, given to chickens.
  6. (in the plural) 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.
    • 1887, James Law, The Farmer's Veterinary Adviser
      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 […].
  7. (now historical) A scratch wig.
    • 1775, Frances Burney, Journals & Letters, Penguin 2001, 26 March:
      [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.
  8. (music) A genre of Virgin Islander music, better known as fungi.

Synonyms[edit]

Derived terms[edit]

Derived terms

Translations[edit]

Adjective[edit]

scratch (not comparable)

  1. For or consisting of preliminary or tentative, incomplete, etc. work.
    This is scratch paper, so go ahead and scribble whatever you want on it.
  2. Hastily assembled, arranged or constructed, from whatever materials are to hand, with little or no preparation
    • 1902, Henry James, The Wings of the Dove:
      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.
    • 1988, James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, Oxford 2004, p. 740:
      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.
  3. (computing, from scratchpad) Relating to a data structure or recording medium attached to a machine for testing or temporary use.
  4. (sports) (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.
    • 1964, Charles Price, The American golfer, page 48:
      ... 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 terms[edit]

References[edit]

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From English scratch.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

scratch m (plural scratchs)

  1. Velcro

Synonyms[edit]

Italian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From English scratch.

Noun[edit]

scratch m (invariable)

  1. (music) scratch

Spanish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From English scratch.

Noun[edit]

scratch m (plural scratchs)

  1. (music) scratch
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