Your work is not up to scratch.
up to scratch
idiomsufficient; adequate; of acceptable or satisfactory quality
Origin
disputed originFrom scratch in the sense of a starting line, as in boxing.
The hotel room was not up to scratch, so we asked for a different one.
The committee rejected the proposal because the research methodology failed to meet the standards required to be considered up to scratch.
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chicken scratch
Cramped or illegible handwriting.
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scratch an itch
To satisfy a need or desire.
- 03
scratch beneath the surface
To look or see beyond what is obvious.
- 04
scratch by
To get by; to make ends meet.
- 05
scratch one's head
To puzzle, ponder, or wonder about something.
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scratch one's own itch
To do something out of motivation to solve a personal problem; to take matters into one's own hands.
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scratch that
To disregard, omit, or ignore the previous statement.
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scratch the itch
Alternative form of scratch an itch.
Last updated April 17, 2026