# scratch

/ˈskɹætʃ/ (US) · /skɹˈætʃ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/scratch
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to rub an itch

verb · CEFR A2

to rub your skin with your fingernails because it feels itchy.

For teachers: to rub the skin with fingernails or claws to alleviate an itch or irritation.

- The cat started to scratch its ear after the walk in the park.
- He tried not to scratch the mosquito bites, knowing that breaking the skin would only lead to further irritation and potential infection.

### 2. to mark a surface

verb · CEFR B1

to make a thin cut or mark on something with a sharp object.

For teachers: to mark or damage a surface by drawing a sharp or abrasive object across it.

- Be careful not to scratch the wooden table when you move the keys.
- The diamond ring accidentally scratched the glass display case, leaving a permanent white line that could not be buffed out.

### 3. to cancel or withdraw

verb · CEFR B2

to remove a name from a list or decide not to take part in a race.

For teachers: to withdraw from a competition or to strike out a name or item from a list.

- The favourite horse was scratched from the race due to a minor injury.
- The committee decided to scratch the final three items from the agenda to ensure the meeting ended on schedule.

### 4. music technique

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to move a record back and forth quickly to make a rhythmic sound.

For teachers: to produce rhythmic sounds by manually manipulating a vinyl record on a turntable while adjusting a crossfader.

- The DJ began to scratch the record, creating a cool hip-hop beat.
- Mastering the ability to scratch requires precise hand-eye coordination and a deep understanding of rhythmic syncopation within electronic music.

### 5. a mark or injury

noun · CEFR A2

a thin mark or a small cut on the surface of something.

For teachers: a shallow incision or mark produced by pressure from a sharp object.

- It was just a small scratch on his arm, so he didn't need a bandage.
- The forensic team noted several deep scratches on the metal door frame, suggesting a forced entry attempt with a heavy tool.

### 6. from the beginning

noun · CEFR B1

used in the phrase 'from scratch' to mean starting with nothing or from the very beginning.

For teachers: the starting point in a competition or process; almost exclusively used in the prepositional phrase 'from scratch'.

- We didn't use a box mix; we baked the entire cake from scratch.
- After the server crash wiped their progress, the developers had to rebuild the entire database architecture from scratch.

Usage: Commonly appears in the fixed idiom 'from scratch'.

### 7. money

noun · CEFR C2 · Slang · American English

a slang word for money.

For teachers: a slang term for currency or cash.

- I'd love to go to the concert, but I don't have the scratch right now.
- He spent years working odd jobs just to get enough scratch together to open his own small workshop.

Teaching tip: This sense is quite dated and mostly found in older American films or specific dialects; learners should use 'cash' or 'money' instead.

### 8. hastily assembled

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

made quickly using whatever people or materials are available.

For teachers: assembled or organized in a hurried way from whatever is available.

- The coach put together a scratch team for the charity match.
- Despite being a scratch crew with no prior experience working together, they managed to navigate the vessel safely back to the harbour.

## Examples

- There is a small scratch on the side of my car.
- The cat left a deep scratch on the wooden table while jumping down from the shelf.
- Although the diamond is the hardest natural substance, it can still suffer a surface scratch if handled with industrial abrasives during the cutting process.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.