scab
/skæb/
noun
- A dry, hard crust that forms over a cut or wound as it heals.
- She put a bandage over the scab to protect it while playing soccer.
- The scab fell off after a week, revealing new pink skin underneath.
- Don't pick at the scab on your knee, or it will take longer to heal.
- A worker who refuses to join a strike or who takes the place of a striking worker.
- He was labeled a scab by his coworkers after he continued working during the walkout.
- The union members called the replacement driver a scab for crossing the picket line.
- During the strike, the factory hired scabs to keep production running.
- A plant disease that causes rough, crusty spots on fruit or leaves.
- Farmers spray fungicide to prevent scab from spreading to the potato crop.
- The apple orchard had a bad case of scab this year, ruining much of the harvest.
- Scab on the pear tree left dark, cracked patches on the fruit.
Synonyms
verb
- To form a scab over a wound.
- It's normal for a deep scratch to scab as part of the healing process.
- Her scraped elbow began to scab after she stopped the bleeding.
- The cut will scab over in a day or two if you keep it clean.
- To work as a scab during a strike.
- The company tried to scab by hiring temporary staff from out of town.
- He refused to scab, even though the strike meant losing two weeks of pay.
- A few desperate workers chose to scab rather than lose their jobs.