# scratch

Pronunciation: say "SKRACH" /skɹæt͡ʃ/

## Noun

1. A mark or shallow cut on a surface, including the skin, made by something sharp scraping across it.
   - Simple: A mark or small cut made when something sharp scrapes a surface or the skin.
   - _The phone screen had a deep scratch across one corner._
   - _Years of use had left fine scratches in the wooden countertop._
3. Nothing or zero, especially as a starting point or score in games and sports.
   - Simple: Nothing at all, or a score of zero in a game.
   - _After the merger collapsed, the founders started again from scratch._
   - _She baked the birthday cake from scratch instead of using a boxed mix._
11. An act of rubbing the skin with the nails or claws to relieve an itch or irritation.
   - Simple: The act of rubbing your skin with your nails to stop an itch.
   - _A good scratch between the shoulder blades brought instant relief._
   - _The cat leaned into the scratch under its chin and purred._
13. Scrawled or illegible handwriting, marked by hasty, careless strokes.
   - Simple: Messy, careless handwriting that is very hard to read.
   - _Her grocery list was a page of chicken scratch that only she could read._
   - _The note on the fridge was written in such hurried chicken scratch that nobody could tell what it said._
17. A racehorse pulled from its race ahead of the start.
   - Simple: A horse that is taken out of a race before the race starts.
   - _The morning-line favorite became a late scratch after a poor warm-up._
   - _Track announcers read out the scratches before each race._
18. A feed for chickens consisting of a mixture of a few common grains, such as cracked corn, wheat, and oats.
   - Simple: A mix of grains, like corn and wheat, that people feed to chickens.
   - _He scatters scratch across the yard so the flock can forage for it._
   - _Too much scratch in place of balanced feed can hurt egg production._
20. A foul in pool, as when the cue ball is pocketed or jumps off the table.
   - Simple: A mistake in pool, like when the white ball falls into a pocket.
   - _A scratch on the break gives your opponent the cue ball in hand._
   - _After three scratches in one rack, he set his cue down in disgust._
21. A starting line, originally a simple line marked in the dirt, as in early boxing matches.
   - Simple: The line where a race or fight starts, once just a line drawn in the dirt.
   - _Under the old prize-ring rules, a downed fighter had only a short count to return to the scratch._
   - _Sprinters in early footraces toed the scratch while officials checked their positions._
22. A foul in events such as the long jump, discus, or shot put, committed by touching or going beyond the starting board or mark during an attempt.
   - Simple: A mistake in events like the long jump, made by touching or stepping past the starting mark.
   - _The jump measured over seven meters, but officials ruled it a scratch._
   - _Three scratches in the trials eliminated him from the final._
23. Money. *(slang)*
   - Simple: A slang word for money.
   - _She's been picking up extra shifts to put together enough scratch for a deposit._
   - _That vintage guitar will cost you some serious scratch._

## Verb

2. To rub a surface with the nails, claws, or another sharp object, especially to relieve an itch.
   - Simple: To rub your skin with your nails because it itches.
   - _Cats scratch themselves constantly during flea season._
   - _He absentmindedly scratched the back of his neck during the meeting._
4. To mark or damage a surface with something sharp or rough, leaving thin lines or shallow cuts; (of a surface) to become marked in this way.
   - Simple: To make thin marks or small cuts on a surface with something sharp, or to get marks like this.
   - _Moving the furniture without pads will scratch the hardwood floor._
   - _The diamond scratched the glass easily, confirming its hardness._
5. To rake a person's skin with nails or claws, whether to defend oneself or to hurt them.
   - Simple: To hurt someone's skin with your nails or claws.
   - _Cornered animals may bite or scratch anyone who comes too close._
   - _The toddler scratched his sister's cheek during the squabble over the toy._
6. To cancel, delete, or remove something, such as an item from a list or plan, often by drawing a line through written words.
   - Simple: To cancel or remove something, like an idea or an item on a list, or to draw a line through words.
   - _We can scratch that idea, since the budget won't cover it._
   - _The favorite was scratched from the race an hour before post time._
7. To create a distinctive sound by rocking a vinyl record to and fro on a turntable, often while working the crossfader.
   - Simple: To move a record back and forth under the needle to make a special musical sound.
   - _She spent years learning to scratch before her first club booking._
   - _The DJ scratched over the breakbeat, hyping up the crowd._
8. To dig or excavate the ground or another surface with the claws.
   - Simple: To dig into the ground using claws, the way a chicken or dog does.
   - _Hens scratch the bare ground for insects and fallen grain._
   - _The badger had scratched a fresh burrow entrance under the fence._
9. To withdraw from a race or event at a sports meet one had entered, often in order to focus on another event at the same meet.
   - Simple: To pull out of a race or sports event that you had signed up for.
   - _Swimmers often scratch from the 100-meter race to rest for the relay later that night._
   - _The favorite scratched from the 400 individual medley an hour before the session._
12. To write or draw something hastily or awkwardly, producing rough or untidy marks; to scrawl.
   - Simple: To write or draw something quickly and in a messy way.
   - _Reporters scratch quick notes during press conferences, then type them up later._
   - _She scratched a rough sketch of the floor plan on a napkin._
15. (Of something rough, such as wool or stubble) to rub against the skin, causing irritation or an itching feeling.
   - Simple: If something rough scratches your skin, it rubs against it and makes it sore or itchy.
   - _Cheap wool sweaters scratch terribly against bare skin._
   - _The starched collar scratched his neck all through the ceremony._
19. To commit a foul in pool, typically by pocketing the cue ball or knocking it off the table.
   - Simple: To make a mistake in pool, for example by sending the white ball into a pocket.
   - _If you scratch while shooting the eight ball, you lose the game._
   - _He scratched on the break and handed his opponent the cue ball._

## Adjective

10. Used for rough, preliminary, or temporary work, such as notes, drafts, or test data, that is not meant to be kept.
   - Simple: Used for rough notes, tests, or temporary work that you do not plan to keep.
   - _She kept a scratch notebook for half-formed ideas._
   - _Save your scratch calculations in case the final figures don't add up._
14. Hastily assembled or put together from whatever materials are at hand, with little or no preparation.
   - Simple: Put together quickly from whatever is available, without much planning.
   - _A scratch crew of volunteers got the stage built by nightfall._
   - _The band gave a surprisingly tight performance for such a scratch outfit._
16. Of a player, especially in golf, skilled enough to compete without a handicap or any scoring adjustment based on ability.
   - Simple: So good at a game, especially golf, that you need no extra points to help you.
   - _He's been a scratch golfer since his early twenties._
   - _The club championship drew several scratch players from around the state._

## Noun

24. A shot that scores by luck rather than as the player intended; a fluke. *(archaic, US)*
   - Simple: A lucky shot that scores even though the player did not plan it.

## Other meanings

- (noun) In a handicap race, the group of riders who depart last, having been given no head start because they are the strongest.
- (verb) To win a point or make a shot through luck instead of skill.
- (noun) Small painful scabby sores on a horse's heels, caused by standing in wet or muddy ground.
- (noun) A small wig that covers only part of the head.
- (noun) A style of folk music from the Virgin Islands, more often called fungi.

## Origin

Scracchen, the Middle English source, has no certain origin. One possibility is that it blended scratten and cracchen, two Middle English verbs that both meant "to scratch."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/scratch (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).