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scratch

scratch

7 8.4
A competitor who has withdrawn from a competition
  • noun
  • /skrætʃ/
  • Jargon
translation icon : baja
  • There's a late scratch there.
  • a healthy scratch
  • a late scratch
  • a last-hour scratch

Examples

  • - Might be a late scratch.

  • For a second day in a row, Curtis Granderson is a healthy scratch from the lineup.

    Blog text (7)
  • There are three late scratches from the following race...

  • The Orange had planned to enter a third boat in the fours competition, but that crew was a last-minute scratch because of injury.

    Blog text (2)
  • Andy Phillips was a late scratch before the game due to neck pain.

  • There were several late scratches in the roster, affecting the team's chances.

  • Murphy was listed as a healthy scratch for the match against Florida.

Synonyms

withdrawer
vsscratch
7.5

A person who leaves a competition before it ends

refers specifically to a competitor rather than any person withdrawing

Antonyms

295 2.4

A person who joins an activity or event

Idioms

98 2.8

To make something using nothing already made

11 2.7

Not hurt or damaged after a dangerous event

Touch or rub your head to show you do not understand something

Good enough to meet a required standard

Leave a dangerous situation without getting hurt

To look below the surface to find the real reasons

To help when needed, especially in a difficult situation

A saying that some people who call themselves liberal may show authoritarian views when challenged

4.3

Satisfy a strong wish you cannot ignore

To do something that solves a problem you have

Compounds

chicken scratch
  • Informal
3 8.4

Messy handwriting that is hard to read

1 1.0

A small cut on the skin from a cat's claws

scratch test
  • Specialized
1 3.5

A simple test that finds allergies by putting small drops on tiny cuts in the skin

1 4.8

A line that shows where people start a race

1 2.3

A small pad of blank paper for quick notes and sketches

1 2.2

A piece of paper used for quick notes or rough calculations

cat scratch disease
  • Specialized
3.4

An infection from a cat scratch or bite that makes nearby glands swell and is usually mild

scratch awl
  • Specialized
7.9

A small tool with a sharp point that marks wood or metal before cutting

scratch race
  • Specialized
5.5

A race where all competitors start together with no handicaps

scratch sheet
  • Jargon
9.9

A paper that lists horses, race results and betting odds

scratch plough
  • Archaic
8.8

A simple light farm tool that loosens the top of the soil without turning it over

Surface Forms

scratch singular
scratches plural

Etymology

Scratch for a competitor who has withdrawn comes from the practice of scratching a name off a list to show it is removed. So when someone is a scratch they have been taken off the entry list.