scratch
170
1.6
- noun
- /skrætʃ/
- Later, by what little moonlight remained, she cataloged five types of scratch marks on his shoulders and back.
- bite or scratch
- a cat scratch
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Watch on YouTubeBabe, where'd you get these scratches from a ghost?
- Babe, where'd you get these scratches from a ghost?
- I just got a little scratch on my neck and I broke my arm.
- Is there the scratches, Do those come from?
- You have a lot of scratch in your elbows, in your knees.
Examples
-
And it looks like these little scratches have been designed for decoration.
-
The ceiling was full of scratches made by bats who once lived there.
Fiction book (1990) -
I just got a little scratch on my neck and I broke my arm.
-
Whole time I was over there, not a scratch, not a mark, you know?
-
How did you manage to avoid a single scratch?
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Compared to that, this is just a scratch!
-
My gloves were on fire, but everything else... not a scratch.
-
Right below her ear on her neck is a scratch from his big old paw.
Fiction book (1992) -
Nana moves deep into the patch and Noah follows, prickles leaving scratch marks on his arms.
Fiction book (1992) -
She had a small scratch on her arm after brushing against the fence.
Synonyms
473
1.0
A visible line, spot, scratch, or stain on a surface
43
4.8
An area of skin rubbed off by scraping
30
1.3
A mark on a surface caused by rubbing it against something hard
22
3.9
A small mark that spoils the look of skin or an object
11
2.6
A scratch or mark made when one thing rubs another
3
1.0
A small cut on the skin from a cat's claws
1
5.7
A narrow cut an artist makes on a surface to show a design
1
6.3
A small mark or dent on a surface used as a guide
1
9.3
A scrape where the skin has been rubbed away
1
5.0
Small cuts or chips in a surface from use
1
8.8
A small light mark made when something rubs a surface like skin or wood
Antonyms
Idioms
A saying that some people who call themselves liberal may show authoritarian views when challenged
Compounds
- Specialized
1
3.5
A simple test that finds allergies by putting small drops on tiny cuts in the skin
- Specialized
1
3.4
An infection from a cat scratch or bite that makes nearby glands swell and is usually mild
- Specialized
1
7.9
A small tool with a sharp point that marks wood or metal before cutting
- Archaic
A simple light farm tool that loosens the top of the soil without turning it over
How Deep
Surface Forms
Etymology
Scratch comes from a very old word meaning 'to scrape' or make a small mark, just like the common word scrape. So a scratch is a thin cut or mark made by scraping, which is why we use the word for a small wound or mark.