Meaning of scratch In English

• 0 to cut or damage a surface or your skin slightly with or on something sharp or rough:

  • We scratched the wall trying to get the bed into Martha's room.

  • Be careful not to scratch yourself on the roses.

  • A few chickens were scratching about/around (= searching with their beaks) in the yard for grain.

  • People have been scratching their names on this rock for years.

  • I scratched some paint off the door as I was getting out of the car.

  • The dog's scratching at the door - he wants to be let in.

  • He was scratching (at) his mosquito bites.

  • Hannah scratched her head thoughtfully.

• 1 to remove yourself or another person or an animal from a competition before the start:

  • The world champion scratched from the 800 metres after injuring herself the day before.

  • They scratched the horse from the race because she had become lame.

• 2 to decide not to do something you had planned to do:

  • We had to scratch our plans when I lost my job.

• 3 a mark made by scratching:

  • Her legs were covered in scratches and bruises after her walk through the forest.

  • There was a scratch on the CD.

  • Amazingly, he survived the accident without a scratch (= without suffering any injuries at all).

  • That dog is having a good scratch. It must have fleas.

• 4 a group of people brought together in a hurry in order to play together on a particular occasion

• 5 to cut or damage a surface with something sharp or rough, or to rub a part of your body with something sharp or rough:

  • [ T ] He used a penknife to scratch his initials into the bark of the tree.

  • [ I ] You can hold the cat – she won’t scratch.

  • [ T ] I know they itch, but don’t scratch your mosquito bites.

• 6 to remove yourself or another person or an animal from a competition before the start:

  • [ I ] Mary Slaney scratched from the 1500-meter run because of an Achilles tendon problem.

  • [ T ] We were going to remodel our kitchen, but we had to scratch that when I lost my job.

• 7 a cut or mark that is made in a surface with something sharp or rough:

  • Tiny particles of car wax fill in the little scratches on the car.