scratch
/skrætʃ/
noun
- A mark or small wound on a surface caused by something sharp.
- He got a scratch from the thorn bush.
- The cat left a scratch on my hand.
- There's a scratch on the new car's door.
- The act of rubbing a part of the body with fingernails to relieve itching.
- Give your back a good scratch if it itches.
- She gave the mosquito bite a quick scratch.
- The dog enjoyed a scratch behind the ears.
- A starting line for a race, or the starting point in a competition.
- He started from scratch in the handicap race.
- All competitors began at the same scratch.
- The runners lined up at the scratch.
Synonyms
verb
- To rub a surface with something sharp or rough, especially to relieve an itch.
- He scratched his arm where the mosquito bit him.
- Please don't scratch the paint off the wall.
- The cat scratched the sofa with its claws.
- To make a shallow mark or cut on a surface.
- I scratched the table with my keys by accident.
- The diamond scratched the glass easily.
- She scratched her name into the tree bark.
- To cancel or remove something from a list or plan.
- We had to scratch our dinner plans because of the snow.
- Scratch that idea — it's too expensive.
- The runner was scratched from the race due to injury.
- To produce a harsh sound by rubbing something against a rough surface.
- His pen scratched across the paper noisily.
- The branches scratched against the window in the wind.
- The old record scratched as the needle moved across it.
adjective
- Assembled or made from basic ingredients, not from a mix or prepared product.
- She made the cake from scratch using flour, eggs, and sugar.
- We built the bookshelf from scratch with raw lumber.
- He prefers cooking from scratch rather than using boxed meals.
- Having no handicap or advantage; starting at the beginning.
- He is a scratch golfer, meaning he plays at par level.
- The team started from scratch after losing all their equipment.
- She learned the language from scratch in just six months.