scratch

adjective

UK /skrætʃ/

1
a scratch team or game is one that is organized quickly using any players who are available
Synonyms and related words
Sports management and team selection
bench
be relegated
call up
2
a scratch player is one who does not have a handicap
Synonyms and related words
Golf
ace
backswing
birdie

scratch

adjective

US /skrætʃ/

1
a scratch player is one who does not have a handicap
Synonyms and related words
Golf
ace
ace
backswing
2
a scratch team or game is one that is organized quickly using any players who are available
Synonyms and related words
Sports management and team selection
bench
be relegated
call up

scratch

noun

UK /skrætʃ/

Word Forms

singular	scratch
plural	scratches

1
countable a cut on the surface of your skin
Don’t worry. It’s just a scratch.
Synonyms and related words
Skin problems, swellings and injuries
abrasion
abscess
athlete’s foot
1. 1a
  countable a thin mark on a surface
  There were some nasty scratches on the paintwork.
  Synonyms and related words
  Signs of damage
  a blot on something
  blemish
  blight
2. 1b
  singular used for emphasizing that someone is not hurt at all or that something is not damaged at all
  Fortunately I walked away from the accident without a scratch.
  a used car that doesn’t have a scratch on it
  Synonyms and related words
  Not injured, wounded or hurt
  unharmed
  unhurt
  unscathed
2
countable usually singularthe action of pulling your nails along your skin
have a scratch:
The dog was having a good scratch against the furniture.
Synonyms and related words
Instances of touching, holding and physical contact
touch
contact
hold
3
countable Sound Effect ♬♬♬♬♬♬a sound made by moving something sharp or rough against a hard surface
We heard the scratch of a cat’s claws against a tree.
Synonyms and related words
Sounds of things hitting or rubbing together
beat
bump
chink

phrases

from scratch

up to scratch

scratch

noun

US /skrætʃ/

Word Forms

singular	scratch
plural	scratches

1
countable a cut on the surface of your skin
Don’t worry. It’s just a scratch.
Synonyms and related words
Skin problems, swellings and injuries
abrasion
abscess
athlete’s foot
1. 1a
  countable a thin mark on a surface
  There were some nasty scratches on the paintwork.
  Synonyms and related words
  Signs of damage
  a blot on something
  blemish
  blight
2. 1b
  singular used for emphasizing that someone is not hurt at all or that something is not damaged at all
  Fortunately I walked away from the accident without a scratch.
  a used car that doesn’t have a scratch on it
  Synonyms and related words
  Not injured, wounded or hurt
  unharmed
  unhurt
  unscathed
2
countable Sound Effect ♬♬♬♬♬♬a sound made by moving something sharp or rough against a hard surface
We heard the scratch of a cat’s claws against a tree.
Synonyms and related words
Sounds of things hitting or rubbing together
beat
bump
chink
3
countable usually singularthe action of pulling your nails along your skin
Synonyms and related words
Instances of touching, holding and physical contact
touch
contact
hold

phrases

from scratch

up to scratch

scratch

verb

UK /skrætʃ/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	scratch
he/she/it	scratches
present participle	scratching
past tense	scratched
past participle	scratched

1
intransitive/transitive to pull your nails along your skin, especially because you have an itch that makes you want to do this
Stop scratching!
Scratch my back for me, will you.
Synonyms and related words
To rub and rubbing
rub
knead
scratch
2
transitive to cut someone’s skin slightly with something sharp
Don’t worry: the cat won’t scratch you.
The tree’s branches had scratched his hands and they were bleeding.
Synonyms and related words
To injure yourself or someone else
injure
harm
wound
1. 2a
  to damage a surface by marking it with something sharp or rough
  Someone’s scratched my car door.
  Synonyms and related words
  To damage or spoil something
  damage
  spoil
  mark
3
intransitive/transitive Sound Effect ♬♬♬♬♬♬to move something sharp against a hard surface and make a noise
scratch at:
I could hear the dog scratching at the back door.
Synonyms and related words
General words meaning to move something
budge
propel
guide
1. 3a
  intransitive to produce new sounds by moving a record backwards and forwards quickly with your hand while the stylus is resting on the record
  Synonyms and related words
  To make miscellaneous sounds
  babble
  blow
  burble
4
transitive to remove something, for example a word from a sentence or something from a list
Synonyms and related words
Editing, adapting and proofreading
abridge
adapt
append
Synonyms and related words
To remove something from a list
cross off
strike off
check off
1. 4a
  to remove someone from a race before it begins
  Synonyms and related words
  Races and racing
  ahead
  a poor second
  baton
5
transitive informalto decide not to continue with something such as a plan or a project
Synonyms and related words
To stop something from continuing or developing
interfere with
inhibit
disrupt
6
transitive informalto write something very quickly and carelessly
Synonyms and related words
To write something
write
set down
compose
7
intransitive/transitive especially in rap music, to produce rhythmic scratching sounds by moving a disc backwards and forwards with your hand
The turntable allows the DJ to mix and scratch the music that is being played.
From beat mixing, to scratching, to tone play – he does it all.
Synonyms and related words
Playing, performing and arranging music
accompany
arrange
articulation

phrases

scratch someone’s eyes out

scratch your head

scratch a living

scratch the surface

you scratch my back (and I’ll scratch yours)

phrasal verbs

scratch around for

scratch out

scratch

verb

US /skrætʃ/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	scratch
he/she/it	scratches
present participle	scratching
past tense	scratched
past participle	scratched

1
intransitive/transitive to pull your nails along your skin, especially because you have an itch that makes you want to do this
Stop scratching!
Scratch my back for me, will you.
Synonyms and related words
To rub and rubbing
rub
knead
scratch
2
transitive to cut someone’s skin slightly with something sharp
Don’t worry, the cat won’t scratch you.
The tree’s branches had scratched his hands and they were bleeding.
Synonyms and related words
To injure yourself or someone else
injure
harm
wound
1. 2a
  to damage a surface by marking it with something sharp or rough
  Someone’s scratched my car door.
  Synonyms and related words
  To damage or spoil something
  damage
  spoil
  mark
3
intransitive/transitive Sound Effect ♬♬♬♬♬♬to move something sharp against a hard surface and make a noise
scratch at:
I could hear the dog scratching at the back door.
Synonyms and related words
General words meaning to move something
propel
guide
transfer
1. 3a
  intransitive to produce new sounds by moving a record backward and forward quickly with your hand while the stylus is resting on the record
  Synonyms and related words
  To make miscellaneous sounds
  babble
  blow
  burble
4
transitive to remove something, for example a word from a sentence or something from a list
Synonyms and related words
Editing, adapting and proofreading
adapt
append
bowdlerize
Synonyms and related words
To remove something from a list
cross off
strike off
check off
1. 4a
  to remove someone from a race before it begins
  Synonyms and related words
  Races and racing
  ahead
  a poor second
  baton
5
transitive informalto decide not to continue with something such as a plan or a project
Synonyms and related words
To stop something from continuing or developing
cut into
shut off
kill
6
transitive informalto write something very quickly and carelessly
Synonyms and related words
To write something
write
set down
compose
7
intransitive/transitive especially in rap music, to produce rhythmic scratching sounds by moving a disk backward and forward with your hand
The turntable allows the DJ to mix and scratch the music that is being played.
From beat mixing, to scratching, to tone play – he does it all.
Synonyms and related words
Playing, performing and arranging music
accompany
arrange
articulation
8
intransitive/transitive especially in rap music, to produce rhythmic scratching sounds by moving a disk backward and forward with your hand
The turntable allows the DJ to mix and scratch the music that is being played.
From beat mixing, to scratching, to tone play – he does it all.
Synonyms and related words
Playing, performing and arranging music
accompany
arrange
articulation

phrases

scratch someone’s eyes out

scratch your head

scratch a living

scratch the surface

you scratch my back (and I’ll scratch yours)

phrasal verbs

scratch around for

scratch out

scratch

scratch

scratch ​‌

scratch ​‌

scratch ​‌

scratch ​‌

scratch

scratch

scratch

scratch