scratch-offn.adj.
/ˈskratʃɒf/, U.S. /ˈskrætʃˌɔf/, /ˈskrætʃˌɑf/ A. n.
1. U.S. slang. Probably: a rapid acceleration of a vehicle from a stationary position. Cf. scratch v. 5c. rare.
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1964 Burlington (N. Carolina) 5 Mar. 8 a/1 Speeding,..lightning scratch-offs, highway racing and little-boy road tactics are for ‘dumb bunnies’.
1965 Florence (S. Carolina) Morning News 4 Nov. 15 a/4 The son can have a very distinctive car which doesn't distinguish itself with speed and scratch-offs.
2. Originally U.S. A scratch-off lottery ticket or game (see sense B.).
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society > leisure > entertainment > pastimes > lottery or raffle > [noun] > ticket
blank1567
lottery ticket1676
benefit-ticket1694
horse1726
premium bond1820
coupon1909
scratch-off1985
1985 Newsweek 2 Sept. 19/2 California Jackpot, a scratch-off paying up to $5,000 for a winning $1 ticket.
1993 Capital (Annapolis, Maryland) 18 Dec. 1/1 There were more than $20 million in sales of all lottery games, including..keno, Lotto and scratch-offs.
2000 T. Barker Jokers Wild vii. 81 Scratch-offs can be easily distributed to retailers, and they are quick and easy to play.
2004 Belfast News Let. (Nexis) 7 Jan. 12 She bought..five Double Doubler scratch offs, pop and a bag of chips.
B. adj.
Originally U.S. Designating or involving a type of card or ticket, used esp. in lotteries, having a section coated with a waxy substance which may be scratched away to reveal hidden information such as whether a prize has been won; (also) designating the coated section of such a card. Cf. scratch card n. 2.
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1976 N.Y. Times 29 Dec. 29/5 New York State..[has] hopes of selling more..$1 scratch-off tickets than the first instant lottery game.
1990 Toronto Star (Nexis) 30 July b3 It also supplies scratch-off tickets to retailers such as McDonald's and Shell Oil.
1992 News Jrnl. (Wilmington, Delaware) 18 Aug. b3/1 Hidden under the scratch-off area are five coin amounts. If they add up to more than $1, the player wins.
2005 S. Cnossen Theory & Pract. Excise Taxation iv. 86 Specific lottery products, including instant scratch-off games..and football pools.
2006 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 23 Apr. iv. 10/2 The card contains a scratch-off section with a registration number that the user types into a personal computer for access to the book.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2007; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.adj.1964