scratch

SKRACH/skɹæt͡ʃ/

Pluralscratches

Verbscratches, scratching, scratched

29 meanings of scratch

Practice

1
a scrape marknouncountable or uncountable
A mark or small cut made when something sharp scrapes a surface or the skin.
There's a long scratch on the side of our car.
Be careful not to leave scratches on the new table.
UsageSay a deep scratch. Without a scratch means not hurt at all.
Similarscrape, graze, scuff, mark, nick
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2
rub itchy skinverbtransitive or intransitive
To rub your skin with your nails because it itches.
Don't scratch the bug bite, or it will get worse.
The dog was scratching its ear with its back leg.
UsageScratch your head can mean you are puzzled.
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3
from nothingnouncountable or uncountable
Nothing at all, or a score of zero in a game.
We lost all our notes, so we had to start from scratch.
After the storm destroyed their farm, the family had to begin again from scratch with no animals and no money.
UsageSay start from scratch or make something from scratch.
Similarnothing, zero
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4
cause marksverbtransitive
To make thin marks or small cuts on a surface with something sharp, or to get marks like this.
Sharp rocks can scratch the bottom of the boat.
Someone scratched the paint on her car in the parking lot.
5
hurt with nailsverbtransitive or intransitive
To hurt someone's skin with your nails or claws.
The cat will scratch you if you pull its tail.
She scratched the attacker's arm while fighting to get away.
Similarclaw
6
cross outverbtransitive
To cancel or remove something, like an idea or an item on a list, or to draw a line through words.
Let's scratch the picnic, because it's going to rain.
The coach scratched two players from the starting lineup.
UsageSay scratch that to take back what you said.
Similarscrap, drop, cancel, withdraw, delete
7
turntable soundverbintransitive
To move a record back and forth under the needle to make a special musical sound.
He learned to scratch on his dad's old record player.
The DJ scratched the record in time with the beat.
Note
8
dig the groundverbtransitive or intransitive
To dig into the ground using claws, the way a chicken or dog does.
Chickens scratch in the dirt all day looking for seeds.
The dog was scratching at the flower bed again.
UsageHens scratch for food in the dirt.
Similardig, scrape, claw
9
pull out (event)verbintransitive
To pull out of a race or sports event that you had signed up for.
She decided to scratch from the 200-meter race to rest for the relay.
He scratched from Saturday's swim meet after hurting his shoulder.
UsageSay scratch from a race.
Similarwithdraw
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10
not for keepingadjective
Used for rough notes, tests, or temporary work that you do not plan to keep.
Do the math on scratch paper first, then copy the answer.
Use scratch paper to work out the math problem first.
UsageSay scratch paper for paper you do rough work on.
Similarrough, preliminary, temporary
Oppositefinal, finished
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Less common meanings

11
a rub (itch)nouncountable or uncountable
The act of rubbing your skin with your nails to stop an itch.
He gave his head a quick scratch while he thought.
The dog rolled over, hoping for a scratch behind the ears.
UsageSay have a good scratch or give the dog a scratch.
Similarrub
12
jot downverbtransitive
To write or draw something quickly and in a messy way.
I'll scratch a quick map so you can find the house.
He scratched a note on the back of an envelope.
UsageScratch out can mean write fast or cross out.
Similarscribble, scrawl, jot
Note
13
messy handwritingnouncountable or uncountable
Messy, careless handwriting that is very hard to read.
My doctor's handwriting is pure chicken scratch.
I can't read my own chicken scratch from yesterday's class.
UsagePeople usually say chicken scratch.
Similarscrawl, scribble
Note
14
thrown togetheradjective
Put together quickly from whatever is available, without much planning.
They formed a scratch team when half the players didn't show up.
We made a scratch dinner from whatever was left in the fridge.
UsageSay a scratch team.
Similarmakeshift, improvised, impromptu
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15
rough on skinverbtransitive or intransitive
If something rough scratches your skin, it rubs against it and makes it sore or itchy.
Like sandpaper rubbing on your arm.
These old blankets scratch my skin when I sleep.
The tag on my new shirt scratches the back of my neck.
UsagePeople often say a sweater is scratchy.
Similaritch, prickle, irritate, chafe
16
skilled (golf)adjective
So good at a game, especially golf, that you need no extra points to help you.
Like a runner who is so fast that nobody gives them a head start.
After years of practice, she finally became a scratch golfer.
Only a scratch player could win on a course this hard.
UsageSay a scratch golfer.
Note
17
horse not runningnouncountable or uncountable
A horse that is taken out of a race before the race starts.
The number four horse was a scratch, so only seven horses ran.
Check the list of scratches before you pick a horse.
UsageSay a late scratch.
Similarwithdrawal
Note
18
chicken feednouncountable or uncountable
A mix of grains, like corn and wheat, that people feed to chickens.
Every morning she throws a handful of scratch to the hens.
The feed store sells scratch in fifty-pound bags.
19
verbintransitive
To make a mistake in pool, for example by sending the white ball into a pocket.
Be careful not to scratch when you hit the eight ball.
She scratched on her last shot and lost the game.
UsageSay you scratched on a shot.
Note
20
foul (pool)nouncountable or uncountable
A mistake in pool, like when the white ball falls into a pocket.
That shot was a scratch, so now it's my turn.
Two scratches in a row cost her the match.
Similarfoul
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21
line (boxing)nouncountable or uncountable
The line where a race or fight starts, once just a line drawn in the dirt.
Long ago, races began at a scratch drawn in the dirt.
In old bare-knuckle fights, boxers met at the scratch to start each round.
Similarmark
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22
foul (long jump)nouncountable or uncountable
A mistake in events like the long jump, made by touching or stepping past the starting mark.
Her best jump was a scratch because her toe crossed the board.
He had two scratches in the shot put and got nervous.
Similarfoul
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23
moneynounslangcountable or uncountable
A slang word for money.
He needs to earn some scratch before the concert this weekend.
Fixing that old car is going to take serious scratch.
UsageSay some scratch or serious scratch.
Similarcash, dough, money, bread
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24
nounarchaicUScountable or uncountable
A lucky shot that scores even though the player did not plan it.
Note
25
noun
In a handicap bike race, the riders who start last because they are the fastest.
26
verbdatedUS
To score by luck, not skill.
27
noun
Sore scabs on a horse's heels from wet, muddy ground.
28
noun
A little wig that covers part of the head.
[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.
1775, Frances Burney, Journals & Letters
29
noun
A kind of music from the Virgin Islands, also called fungi.

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Can you tell the meanings of scratch apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Middle English scracchen. Its origin is not certain, but it may be a mix of two older words, scratten and cracchen, both meaning 'to scratch'.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

Scratch comes from Middle English scracchen, whose origin is uncertain. en.wiktionary.org
It may blend the older words scratten and cracchen, both meaning 'to scratch'. en.wiktionary.org