scratch
- 01 A2 Elementary
v.to rub your skin with your fingernails because it feels itchy.
v.to rub the skin with fingernails or claws to alleviate an itch or irritation.
Simple“The cat started to scratch its ear after the walk in the park.”
In context“He tried not to scratch the mosquito bites, knowing that breaking the skin would only lead to further irritation and potential infection.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
v.to make a thin cut or mark on something with a sharp object.
v.to mark or damage a surface by drawing a sharp or abrasive object across it.
Simple“Be careful not to scratch the wooden table when you move the keys.”
In context“The diamond ring accidentally scratched the glass display case, leaving a permanent white line that could not be buffed out.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to remove a name from a list or decide not to take part in a race.
v.to withdraw from a competition or to strike out a name or item from a list.
Simple“The favourite horse was scratched from the race due to a minor injury.”
In context“The committee decided to scratch the final three items from the agenda to ensure the meeting ended on schedule.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
v.to move a record back and forth quickly to make a rhythmic sound.
v.to produce rhythmic sounds by manually manipulating a vinyl record on a turntable while adjusting a crossfader.
Simple“The DJ began to scratch the record, creating a cool hip-hop beat.”
In context“Mastering the ability to scratch requires precise hand-eye coordination and a deep understanding of rhythmic syncopation within electronic music.”
- 05 A2 Elementary
n.a thin mark or a small cut on the surface of something.
n.a shallow incision or mark produced by pressure from a sharp object.
Simple“It was just a small scratch on his arm, so he didn't need a bandage.”
In context“The forensic team noted several deep scratches on the metal door frame, suggesting a forced entry attempt with a heavy tool.”
- 06 B1 Intermediate
n.used in the phrase 'from scratch' to mean starting with nothing or from the very beginning.
n.the starting point in a competition or process; almost exclusively used in the prepositional phrase 'from scratch'.
Simple“We didn't use a box mix; we baked the entire cake from scratch.”
In context“After the server crash wiped their progress, the developers had to rebuild the entire database architecture from scratch.”
UsageCommonly appears in the fixed idiom 'from scratch'.
- 07 C2 Proficiency
n.a slang word for money.
n.a slang term for currency or cash.
Simple“I'd love to go to the concert, but I don't have the scratch right now.”
In context“He spent years working odd jobs just to get enough scratch together to open his own small workshop.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is quite dated and mostly found in older American films or specific dialects; learners should use 'cash' or 'money' instead.
- 08 C1 Advanced
adj.made quickly using whatever people or materials are available.
adj.assembled or organized in a hurried way from whatever is available.
Simple“The coach put together a scratch team for the charity match.”
In context“Despite being a scratch crew with no prior experience working together, they managed to navigate the vessel safely back to the harbour.”
“Are those scratch marks on the bedroom door?”
“His arms are crisscrossed with old scratches and the ruby-red blood of new ones, smearing into sticky blackberry-juice stains.”