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| Date: | 1300-1400 |
| Origin: | Probably from scrat 'to scratch' (13-19 centuries) + cratch 'to scratch' (13-16 centuries) |
1
to rub your skin with your nails because it feels uncomfortable [↪ itch]: John yawned and scratched his leg. Try not to scratch.
rub your skin
[intransitive and transitive]John yawned and scratched his leg.Try not to scratch.2 to cut someone's skin slightly with your nails or with something sharp : She ran at him and scratched his face. Don't scratch yourself on the thorns.
cut somebody's skin
[intransitive and transitive]She ran at him and scratched his face.Don't scratch yourself on the thorns.3 to make a small cut or mark on something by pulling something sharp across it : I'm afraid I've scratched your car. Some of the prisoners had scratched their names on the walls.
make a mark
[transitive]I'm afraid I've scratched your car.Some of the prisoners had scratched their names on the walls.4 if an animal scratches, it rubs its feet against something, often making a noise : A few chickens scratched around in the yard.
animals
[intransitive always + adverb/preposition]CA few chickens scratched around in the yard. scratch at a dog scratching at the door to be let in
a dog scratching at the door to be let in5 to remove something from a surface by rubbing it with something sharp
remove something
[transitive always + adverb/preposition]6 to remove a word from a piece of writing by drawing a line through it
remove writing
[transitive always + adverb/preposition]7 to make a rough sound by moving something sharp across a surface : His pen scratched away on the paper.
make a noise
[intransitive always + adverb/preposition]His pen scratched away on the paper.9 to think carefully about a difficult question or problem : This crisis has politicians scratching their heads and wondering what to do.
scratch your head
informalThis crisis has politicians scratching their heads and wondering what to do.10 if you scratch an idea or a plan, you decide that you will not do it
stop something happening
[transitive] informal11 if someone scratches from a race, or if you scratch them from the race, they do not take part in it
remove from race
[intransitive and transitive] informalDS12 used to say that you will help someone if they agree to help you
you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours
spoken➔ scrape/scratch a living
at living2 (1)scratch around
phrasal verbscratch something ↔ out
phrasal verbEmma's name had been scratched out.