to break, mar, or mark the surface of by rubbing, scraping, or tearing with something sharp or rough: to scratch one's hand on a nail.
2.
to dig, scrape, or tear (something) out or off with or as if with the nails, claws, etc.: to scratch the burs off one's coat.
3.
to rub or scrape slightly, as with the fingernails, to relieve itching.
4.
to rub or draw along a rough, grating surface: to scratch a match on the sidewalk.
5.
to erase, cancel, strike out, or eliminate (a name, something written, etc.) by or as if by drawing a line through it (often fol. by out): Scratch out the third name on the list.
6.
to withdraw (an entry) from a race or competition.
7.
U.S. Politics.
a.
to divide (one's vote) though predominantly supporting one political party or faction.
b.
to strike out or reject a particular name or names on (a party ticket) in voting.
8.
to write or draw by scraping or cutting the lines into a surface: She scratched her initials on the glass.
9.
to manipulate (a phonograph record) back and forth under the stylus to produce rhythmic sounds.
–verb (used without object)
10.
to use the nails, claws, etc., for tearing, digging, etc.
11.
to relieve itching by rubbing or scraping lightly, as with the fingernails.
12.
to make a slight grating noise, as a pen.
13.
to earn a living or to manage in any respect with great difficulty: We scratched along that year on very little money.
14.
to withdraw or be withdrawn from a contest or competition.
15.
(in certain card games) to make no score; earn no points.
16.
Billiards,Pool. to make a shot that results in a penalty, esp. to pocket the cue ball without hitting the object ball.
–noun
17.
a slight injury, mar, or mark, usually thin and shallow, caused by scratching: three scratches on my leg; a noticeable scratch on the table.
18.
a rough mark made by a pen, pencil, etc.; scrawl.
19.
an act of scratching.
20.
the slight grating sound caused by scratching.
21.
the starting place, starting time, or status of a competitor in a handicap who has no allowance and no penalty.
22.
Billiards,Pool.
a.
a shot resulting in a penalty, esp. a pocketing of the cue ball without hitting the object ball.
used for hasty writing, notes, etc.: scratch paper.
28.
without any allowance, penalty, or handicap, as a competitor or contestant.
29.
Informal. done by or dependent on chance: a scratch shot.
30.
Informal. gathered hastily and indiscriminately: a scratch crew.
31.
done or made from scratch: a scratch cake.
—Idioms
32.
from scratch,
a.
from the very beginning or starting point.
b.
from nothing; without resources: After the depression he started another business from scratch.
33.
up to scratch, in conformity with a certain standard; adequate; satisfactory: The local symphony orchestra has improved this year, but it is still not up to scratch.
[Origin: 1425–75; late ME scracche (v.), b. ME scratte to scratch, and cracche to scratch; c. MD cratsen]
[Origin: 1730–40; alter. of scrat hermaphrodite (late ME scratte; cf. OE scritta (once), which may be an error for *scratta); c. ON skratti devil, goblin, wizard, OHG skraz wood-demon]
1474, probably a fusion of M.E. scratten and crachen, both meaning "to scratch," both of uncertain origin. The noun is attested from 1586; slang sense of "money" is from 1914, of uncertain signification. Many figurative senses (e.g. up to scratch) are from sporting use for "line or mark drawn as a starting place," attested from 1778 (but the earliest use is figurative); meaning "nothing" (in from scratch) is 1922, also from sporting sense of "starting point of a competitor who receives no odds in a handicap match." Billiards sense of "to hit the cue ball into a pocket" is first recorded 1909 (also, originally, itch), though earlier it meant "a lucky shot" (1850). Verb meaning "to withdraw (a horse) from a race" is 1865, from notion of scratching name off list of competitors; used in a non-sporting sense of "cancel a plan, etc." from 1685.
in Old Scratch "the Devil," 1740, is from earlier Scrat, from O.N. skratte "goblin, monster," a word which was used in late O.E. for "hermaphrodite" (cf. O.H.G. scrato "satyr, wood demon").
scrape or rub as if to relieve itching; "Don't scratch your insect bites!" [syn: rub]
4.
postpone indefinitely or annul something that was scheduled; "Call off the engagement"; "cancel the dinner party"; "we had to scrub our vacation plans"; "scratch that meeting--the chair is ill" [syn: cancel]
5.
remove by erasing or crossing out or as if by drawing a line; "Please strike this remark from the record"; "scratch that remark" [syn: strike]
6.
gather (money or other resources) together over time; "She had scraped together enough money for college"; "they scratched a meager living" [syn: scrape]
7.
carve, cut, or etch into a material or surface; "engrave a pen"; "engraved the trophy cupt with the winner's"; "the lovers scratched their names into the bark of the tree"
scratch 1. (From "scratchpad") Describes a data structure or recording medium attached to a machine for testing or temporary-use purposes; one that can be scribbled on without loss. Usually in the combining forms "scratch memory", "scratch register", "scratch disk", "scratch tape", "scratch volume". See also scratch monkey. 2. (primarily IBM) To delete (as in a file). [The Jargon File] (1994-12-15)
Scratch\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scratched; p. pr. & vb. n. Scratching.] [OE. cracchen (perhaps influenced by OE. scratten to scratch); cf. OHG. chrazz[=o]n, 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.]1. 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. --Grew. Be mindful, when invention fails, To scratch your head, and bite your nails. --Swift. 2. To write or draw hastily or awkwardly. "Scratch out a pamphlet." --Swift. 3. 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. 4. To dig or excavate with the claws; as, some animals scratch holes, in which they burrow. To scratch a ticket, to cancel one or more names of candidates on a party ballot; to refuse to vote the party ticket in its entirety. [U. S.]
Scratch\, v. i. 1. To use the claws or nails in tearing or in digging; to make scratches. Dull, tame things, . . . that will neither bite nor scratch. --Dr. H. More. 2. (Billiards) To score, not by skillful play but by some fortunate chance of the game. [Cant, U. S.]
Scratch\, n. 1. 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. --Moxon. These nails with scratches deform my breast. --Prior. God forbid a shallow scratch should drive The prince of Wales from such a field as this. --Shak. 2. (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] --Grose. 3. 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). 4. A kind of wig covering only a portion of the head. 5. (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. --Thackeray.
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