Word Study
scratch
CIDE DICTIONARY
scratch, v. t. [OE. cracchen (perhaps influenced by OE. scratten to scratch); cf. OHG. chrazz, 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.].
- 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. [1913 Webster]"Small sand-colored stones, so hard as to scratch glass." [1913 Webster]"Be mindful, when invention fails,
To scratch your head, and bite your nails." [1913 Webster] - To write or draw hastily or awkwardly. Swift. [1913 Webster]
- 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. [1913 Webster]
- To dig or excavate with the claws; as, some animals scratch holes, in which they burrow. [1913 Webster]
scratch, v. i.
- To use the claws or nails in tearing or in digging; to make scratches. [1913 Webster]"Dull, tame things, . . . that will neither bite nor scratch." [1913 Webster]
- To score, not by skillful play but by some fortunate chance of the game. [1913 Webster]
scratch, n.
- 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. [1913 Webster]"The coarse file . . . makes deep scratches in the work." [1913 Webster]"These nails with scratches deform my breast." [1913 Webster]"God forbid a shallow scratch should drive
The prince of Wales from such a field as this." [1913 Webster] - 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. Grose. [1913 Webster]
- 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). [1913 Webster]
- A kind of wig covering only a portion of the head. [1913 Webster]
- A shot which scores by chance and not as intended by the player; a fluke. [1913 Webster]
- In various sports, the line from which the start is made, except in the case of contestants receiving a distance handicap. [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
scratch, a.
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. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
scratch, v., n., & adj.
--v.
1 tr. score or mark the surface of with a sharp or pointed object.
2 tr. a make a long narrow superficial wound in (the skin). b cause (a person or part of the body) to be scratched (scratched himself on the table).
3 tr. (also absol.) scrape without marking, esp. with the hand to relieve itching (stood there scratching).
4 tr. make or form by scratching.
5 tr. scribble; write hurriedly or awkwardly (scratched a quick reply; scratched a large A).
6 tr. (foll. by together, up, etc.) obtain (a thing) by scratching or with difficulty.
7 tr. (foll. by out, off, through) cancel or strike (out) with a pencil etc.
8 tr. (also absol.) withdraw (a competitor, candidate, etc.) from a race or competition.
9 intr. (often foll. by about, around, etc.) a scratch the ground etc. in search. b look around haphazardly (they were scratching about for evidence).
--n.
1 a mark or wound made by scratching.
2 a sound of scratching.
3 a spell of scratching oneself.
4 colloq. a superficial wound.
5 a line from which competitors in a race (esp. those not receiving a handicap) start.
6 (in pl.) a disease of horses in which the pastern appears scratched.
7 sl. money.
--attrib.adj.
1 collected by chance.
2 collected or made from whatever is available; heterogeneous (a scratch crew).
3 with no handicap given (a scratch race).
--v.
1 tr. score or mark the surface of with a sharp or pointed object.
2 tr. a make a long narrow superficial wound in (the skin). b cause (a person or part of the body) to be scratched (scratched himself on the table).
3 tr. (also absol.) scrape without marking, esp. with the hand to relieve itching (stood there scratching).
4 tr. make or form by scratching.
5 tr. scribble; write hurriedly or awkwardly (scratched a quick reply; scratched a large A).
6 tr. (foll. by together, up, etc.) obtain (a thing) by scratching or with difficulty.
7 tr. (foll. by out, off, through) cancel or strike (out) with a pencil etc.
8 tr. (also absol.) withdraw (a competitor, candidate, etc.) from a race or competition.
9 intr. (often foll. by about, around, etc.) a scratch the ground etc. in search. b look around haphazardly (they were scratching about for evidence).
--n.
1 a mark or wound made by scratching.
2 a sound of scratching.
3 a spell of scratching oneself.
4 colloq. a superficial wound.
5 a line from which competitors in a race (esp. those not receiving a handicap) start.
6 (in pl.) a disease of horses in which the pastern appears scratched.
7 sl. money.
--attrib.adj.
1 collected by chance.
2 collected or made from whatever is available; heterogeneous (a scratch crew).
3 with no handicap given (a scratch race).
Idiom
from scratch
1 from the beginning.
2 without help or advantage. scratch along make a living etc. with difficulty. scratch one's head be perplexed.
scratch my back and I will scratch yours
1 do me a favour and I will return it.
2 used in reference to mutual aid or flattery. scratch pad 1 esp. US a pad of paper for scribbling.
2 Computing a small fast memory for the temporary storage of data. scratch the surface deal with a matter only superficially. up to scratch up to the required standard.
1 from the beginning.
2 without help or advantage. scratch along make a living etc. with difficulty. scratch one's head be perplexed.
scratch my back and I will scratch yours
1 do me a favour and I will return it.
2 used in reference to mutual aid or flattery. scratch pad 1 esp. US a pad of paper for scribbling.
2 Computing a small fast memory for the temporary storage of data. scratch the surface deal with a matter only superficially. up to scratch up to the required standard.
Derivative
scratcher n.
Etymology
ME, prob. f. synonymous ME scrat & cratch, both of uncert. orig.: cf. MLG kratsen, OHG krazzon
THESAURUS
scratch
ablation, abort, abrade, abrasion, abrasive, adequate, anamorphosis, attrition, autolithograph, bad likeness, barbouillage, bark, barley, be a printmaker, belch, bezel, bird seed, birthmark, blackhead, blare, blat, blaze, blaze a trail, bleb, blemish, blister, bloody, blot, blot out, blotch, bore, botch, bran, brand, bray, bread, break, bruise, buffing, bulla, burlesque, burn, burnishing, burr, burrow, buzz, cackle, canal, canalize, cancel, caricature, cartoon, carve, cash, caste mark, casual, cat food, caw, cease, chafe, chafing, chalk, chalk up, chamfer, channel, character, charcoal, chase, check, check off, checkmark, chicken feed, chink, chip, chips, chirr, chisel, chiseling, chop, cicatrix, cicatrize, clang, clangor, clank, clash, claw, close, coin, color, comedo, competent, competitive, conclude, concussion, copy, corn, corrugate, corrugation, crack, crackle, cranny, crater, craunch, crayon, craze, crease, cribble, croak, cross out, cross-hatching, crosshatch, crump, crunch, cursoriness, cut, dado, damage, dapple, dash, dash off, daub, defacement, defect, define, deformation, deformity, dele, delete, delimit, delineate, delve, demarcate, demitint, depict, design, determine, detrition, diagram, dig, dig out, dike, discolor, discoloration, disfiguration, disfigurement, distortion, ditch, do double duty, dog food, doodle, dot, dough, draft, draw, dredge, dressing, drill, drive, earmark, eatage, efface, eliminate, elucubrate, enchase, end, engrave, engravement, engraving, ensilage, epidermis, erase, erasure, erosion, etch, etching, excavate, exclude, expunge, extempore, exteriority, fault, feed, filing, finish, finish up, flash burn, flaw, fleck, flick, flute, fluting, fodder, forage, fracture, fray, frazzle, freckle, fret, fretting, furrow, gall, galling, gash, gem-engraving, glass-cutting, gloss, glyptic, goffer, good enough, gouge, gouge out, grain, grate, grave, graving, graze, grazing, greenbacks, grind, grinding, groan, groove, growl, grub, grumble, gully, hack, half tint, haphazard, hasty, hatch, hatching, hay, hemangioma, hen scratches, hen tracks, hickey, hit the ball, hurried, hurt, hustle, impress, imprint, impromptu, incise, incision, informal, injure, injury, inscribe, inscript, inscription, itch, jack, jangle, jar, jot, keloid, kink, lacerate, laceration, lentigo, lesion, limation, limn, line, lining, lithograph, lower, lucubrate, macula, maim, make a mark, make mincemeat of, make prints, makeshift, mar, mark, mark off, mark out, marking, mash, maul, mazuma, meal, mere scratch, microgroove, milium, mine, misdraw, mispaint, mole, mortal wound, mottle, mutilate, mutilation, needle scar, nevus, nick, no depth, no water, notch, oats, obliterate, off the cuff, overwork, paint, paint a picture, parody, pasturage, pasture, patch, pattes de mouche, pencil, pepper, perorate, pet food, picture, picturize, pierce, pimple, pinprick, pit, pleat, plow, pock, pockmark, point, polishing, polka dot, port-wine mark, port-wine stain, portray, pothookery, pothooks, pothooks and hangers, pour it on, prick, prickle, print, provender, punch, punctuate, puncture, pustule, quarry, rabbet, rasp, rasping, raze, rend, rent, resolve, riddle, rifle, rifling, rift, rind, rip, rough, rub, rub off, rub out, rubbing away, ruck, rule out, run, rupture, rut, sandblasting, sanding, sap, satisfactory, savage, scab, scald, scar, scarification, scarify, scoop, scoop out, scorch, score, scoring, scotch, scouring, scrabble, scranch, scrap, scrape, scraping, scratch feed, scratch out, scratching, scrawl, scribble, scribbling, scrub, scrubbing, scrunch, scuff, sculpture, scumble, seal, seam, sebaceous cyst, second-degree burn, shade, shallowness, shining, shoaliness, shovel, silage, sink, sketch, skin, slash, slashing, slave, slightness, slit, slops, smoothing, snarl, snore, sore, spade, speck, speckle, splash, split, splotch, sponge, sponge out, spot, sprain, stab, stab wound, stain, stamp, stencil, stick, stigma, stigmatize, sting, stipple, stippling, stop, strain, straw, strawberry mark, streak, stria, striate, striation, strike off, strike out, stripe, sty, sufficient, sulcation, sulcus, superficiality, superficies, surface, sweat, swill, tattoo, tattoo mark, tear, terminate, third-degree burn, thrill, tick, tick off, tingle, tint, tittle, tool, tooling, trace, track, trauma, traumatize, travesty, trench, triviality, trough, tunnel, twang, twist, type-cutting, underline, underscore, unplanned, unpremeditated, unprepared, up to scratch, up to snuff, veneer, verruca, vesicle, wale, wampum, warp, wart, watermark, weal, wear, wearing away, well-worn groove, welt, wen, wheat, whitehead, wind up, wipe out, work hard, work late, work overtime, wound, wounds immedicable, wrench, wrinkleROGET THESAURUS
scratch
Writing
VB write, pen, copy, engross, write out, write out fair, transcribe, scribble, scrawl, scrabble, scratch, interline, stain paper, write down, sign, enface, compose, indite, draw up, draft, formulate, dictate, inscribe, throw on paper, dash off, manifold, take up the pen, take pen in hand, shed ink, spill ink, dip one's pen in ink.Evil
N evil, ill, harm, hurt, mischief, nuisance, machinations of the devil, Pandora's box, ills that flesh is heir to, blow, buffet, stroke, scratch, bruise, wound, gash, mutilation, mortal blow, wound, immedicabile vulnus, damage, loss, disadvantage, prejudice, drawback, disaster, accident, casualty, mishap, bad job, devil to pay, calamity, bale, catastrophe, tragedy, ruin, adversity, mental suffering, demon, (Evil spirit) bane, (cause of evil), badness, (Production of Evil), painfulness, evil doer, outrage, wrong, injury, foul play, bad turn, ill turn, disservice, spoliation, grievance, crying evil, disastrous, bad, awry, out of joint, disadvantageous, amis, wrong, ill, to one's cost, moving accidents by flood and field.Badness
VB be hurtful, cause evil, produce evil, inflict evil, work evil, do evil, damnify, endamage, hurt, harm, injure, pain, wrong, aggrieve, oppress, persecute, trample upon, tread upon, bear hard upon, put upon, overburden, weigh down, weigh heavy on, victimize, run down, molest, maltreat, abuse, ill-use, ill-treat, buffet, bruise, scratch, maul, smite, do violence, do harm, do a mischief, stab, pierce, outrage, do mischief, make mischief, bring into trouble, destroy.Furrow
N furrow, groove, rut, sulcus, scratch, streak, striae, crack, score, incision, slit, chamfer, fluting, corduroy road, cradle hole, channel, gutter, trench, ditch, dike, dyke, moat, fosse, trough, kennel, ravine, tajo, thank-ye-ma'am, furrowed, ribbed, striated, sulcated, fluted, canaliculated, bisulcous, bisulcate, bisulcated, canaliferous, trisulcate, corduroy, unisulcate, costate, rimiform.Friction
VB rub, scratch, scrape, scrub, slide, fray, rasp, graze, curry, scour, polish, rub out, wear down, gnaw, file, grind, set one's teeth on edge, rosin.Indication
N indication, symbolism, symbolization, semiology, semiotics, semeiology, semeiotics, Zeitgeist, characteristic, diagnostic, lineament, feature, trait, fingerprint, voiceprint, footprint, noseprint, cloven hoof, footfall, recognition (memory), diagnostic, divining rod, detector, sign, symbol, index, indice, indicator, point, pointer, exponent, note, token, symptom, dollar sign, dollar mark, type, figure, emblem, cipher, device, representation, epigraph, motto, posy, gesture, gesticulation, pantomime, wink, glance, leer, nod, shrug, beck, touch, nudge, dactylology, dactylonomy, freemasonry, telegraphy, chirology, byplay, dumb show, cue, hint, clue, clew, key, scent, signal, signal post, rocket, blue light, watch fire, watch tower, telegraph, semaphore, flagstaff, cresset, fiery cross, calumet, heliograph, guidon, headlight, mark, scratch, line, stroke, dash, score, stripe, streak, tick, dot, point, notch, nick, print, imprint, impress, impression, keyboard symbols, printing symbols, red letter, italics, sublineation, underlining, bold font, jotting, note, annotation, reference, blaze, cedilla, guillemets, hachure, quotation marks, ", double quotes, " ", parentheses, "( )", brackets, "", braces, "", left arrow, "<", right arrow, ">", forward slash, "/", backward slash, "\", exclamation point, "!", commercial at, "@", pound sign, "#", percent sign, "%", carat, "", ampersand, "&", asterisk, "*", hyphen, "-", dash, "-", "_", em dash, "--", plus sign, "+", equals sign, "=", question mark, "?", period, ", ", semicolon, ", ", colon, ":", comma, ", ", apostrophe, "'", single quote, "'", tilde, "~", badge, criterion, countercheck, countermark, countersign, counterfoil, duplicate, tally, label, ticket, billet, letter, counter, check, chip, chop, dib, totem, tessera, card, bill, witness, voucher, stamp, cacher, trade mark, Hall mark, signature, mark, autograph, autography, attestation, hand, hand writing, sign manual, cipher, seal, sigil, signet, hand and seal, paraph, brand, superscription, indorsement, endorsement, password, watchword, catchword, security card, pass, passkey, credentials, open sesame, timbrology, mot de passe, mot du guet, pass-parole, shibboleth, title, heading, docket, address card, visiting card, carte de visite, insignia, banner, banneret, bannerol, bandrol, flag, colors, streamer, standard, eagle, labarum, oriflamb, oriflamme, figurehead, ensign, pennon, pennant, pendant, burgee, blue Peter, jack, ancient, gonfalon, union jack, banderole, old glory, quarantine flag, vexillum, yellow-flag, yellow jack, tricolor, stars and stripes, bunting, heraldry, crest, coat of arms, arms, armorial bearings, hatchment, escutcheon, scutcheon, shield, supporters, livery, uniform, cockade, epaulet, chevron, garland, love knot, favor, beacon, cairn, post, staff, flagstaff, hand, pointer, vane, cock, weathercock, guidepost, handpost, fingerpost, directing post, signpost, pillars of Hercules, pharos, bale-fire, beacon-fire, l'etoile du Nord, landmark, seamark, lighthouse, balize, polestar, loadstar, lodestar, cynosure, guide, address, direction, name, sign, signboard, warning, omen, prefigurement, trace, record, warning &c, alarm, scepter, trophy, gauge, milestone, milepost, brand, fool's cap, check, telltale, test, mileage ticket, milliary, notification, advertisement, word of command, call, bugle call, trumpet call, bell, alarum, cry, battle cry, rallying cry, angelus, reveille, sacring bell, sanctus bell, exposition &c (explanation), proof, pattern, indicating, indicative, indicatory, denotative, connotative, diacritical, representative, typical, symbolic, pantomimic, pathognomonic, symptomatic, characteristic, demonstrative, diagnostic, exponential, emblematic, armorial, individual, known by, recognizable by, indicated, pointed, marked, denotable, indelible, in token of, symbolically, in dumb show, ecce signum, ex ungue leonem, ex pede Herculem, vide ut supra, vultus ariete fortior.Misrepresentation
N misrepresentation, distortion, caricatura, exaggeration, daubing, bad likeness, daub, sign painting, scratch, caricature, anamorphosis, burlesque, falsification, misstatement, parody, lampoon, take-off, travesty, misrepresented.Painting
VB paint, design, limn draw, sketch, pencil, scratch, shade, stipple, hatch, dash off, chalk out, square up, color, dead color, wash, varnish, draw in pencil, paint in oils, stencil, depict.For further exploring for "scratch" in Webster Dictionary Online
