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Definitions for Scratcher

[1] to break, mar, or mark the surface of by rubbing, scraping, or tearing with something sharp or rough: to scratch one's hand on a nail.
[2] to dig, scrape, or tear (something) out or off with or as if with the nails, claws, etc.: to scratch the burs off one's coat.
[3] to rub or scrape slightly, as with the fingernails, to relieve itching.
[4] to rub or draw along a rough, grating surface: to scratch a match on the sidewalk.
[5] to erase, cancel, strike out, or eliminate (a name, something written, etc.) by or as if by drawing a line through it (often followed by out ): Scratch out the third name on the list.
[6] to withdraw (an entry) from a race or competition.
[7] U.S. Politics . to divide (one's vote) though predominantly supporting one political party or faction. to strike out or reject a particular name or names on (a party ticket) in voting.
[8] to write or draw by scraping or cutting the lines into a surface: She scratched her initials on the glass.
[9] to manipulate (a phonograph record) back and forth under the stylus to produce rhythmic sounds.
[10] to use the nails, claws, etc., for tearing, digging, etc.
[11] to relieve itching by rubbing or scraping lightly, as with the fingernails.
[12] to make a slight grating noise, as a pen.
[13] to earn a living or to manage in any respect with great difficulty: We scratched along that year on very little money.
[14] to withdraw or be withdrawn from a contest or competition.
[15] (in certain card games) to make no score; earn no points.
[16] Billiards , Pool . to make a shot that results in a penalty, especially to pocket the cue ball without hitting the object ball.
[17] a slight injury, mar, or mark, usually thin and shallow, caused by scratching: three scratches on my leg; a noticeable scratch on the table.
[18] a rough mark made by a pen, pencil, etc.; scrawl.
[19] an act of scratching.
[20] the slight grating sound caused by scratching.
[21] the starting place, starting time, or status of a competitor in a handicap who has no allowance and no penalty.
[22] Billiards , Pool . a shot resulting in a penalty, especially a pocketing of the cue ball without hitting the object ball. a fluke or lucky shot.
[23] (in certain card games) a score of zero; nothing.
[24] Baseball . scratch hit.
[25] scratch wig.
[26] Slang . money; cash.
[27] used for hasty writing, notes, etc.: scratch paper.
[28] without any allowance, penalty, or handicap, as a competitor or contestant.
[29] Informal . done by or dependent on chance: a scratch shot.
[30] Informal . gathered hastily and indiscriminately: a scratch crew.
[31] done or made from scratch: a scratch cake.
[32] from scratch , from the very beginning or starting point. from nothing; without resources: After the depression he started another business from scratch.
[33] up to scratch , in conformity with a certain standard; adequate; satisfactory: The local symphony orchestra has improved this year, but it is still not up to scratch.
[34] a person, animal, or thing that scratches
[35] to mark or cut (the surface of something) with a rough or sharp instrument
[36] (often foll by at, out, off, etc ) to scrape (the surface of something), as with claws, nails, etc
[37] to scrape (the surface of the skin) with the nails, as to relieve itching
[38] to chafe or irritate (a surface, esp the skin)
[39] to make or cause to make a grating sound; scrape
[40] (tr sometimes foll by out ) to erase by or as if by scraping
[41] (tr) to write or draw awkwardly
[42] (intr sometimes foll by along ) to earn a living, manage, etc, with difficulty
[43] to withdraw (an entry) from a race, match, etc
[44] (intr) billiards snooker to make a shot resulting in a penalty to make a lucky shot
[45] (tr) US to cancel (the name of a candidate) from a party ticket in an election
[46] (intr often foll by for ) Australian informal to be struggling or in difficulty, esp in earning a living
[47] to treat (a subject) superficially
[48] you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours if you will help me, I will help you
[49] the act of scratching
[50] a slight injury
[51] a mark made by scratching
[52] a slight grating sound
[53] (in a handicap sport) a competitor or the status of a competitor who has no allowance or receives a penalty (as modifier ) a scratch player
[54] the time, initial score, etc, of such a competitor
[55] the line from which competitors start in a race (formerly) a line drawn on the floor of a prize ring at which the contestants stood to begin or continue fighting
[56] a withdrawn competitor in a race, etc
[57] billiards snooker a shot that results in a penalty, as when the cue ball enters the pocket a lucky shot
[58] poultry food
[59] from scratch informal from the very beginning
[60] up to scratch (usually used with a negative) informal up to standard
[61] sport (of a team) assembled hastily
[62] (in a handicap sport) with no allowance or penalty
[63] informal rough or haphazard

Words related to Scratcher

scratchlesser, narrow-minded, frivolous, minor, little, slight, scratch, shallow, inessential, lower, base, peanut, light, small, subordinate, secondary, junior, inferior, trifling, shoestring

Words nearby Scratcher

scratchscrapie, scraping, scrapper, scrapple, scrappy, scratch, scratch awl, scratch card, scratch coat, scratch file, scratch hardness

Origin of Scratcher

1425–75; late Middle English scracche (v.), blend of Middle English scratte to scratch, and cracche to scratch; cognate with Middle Dutch cratsen

Other words from Scratcher

scratch·a·ble , adjective
scratch·a·bly , adverb
scratch·er , noun
scratch·less , adjective
scratch·like , adjective
un·scratch·a·ble , adjective
un·scratched , adjective
un·scratch·ing , adjective

Word origin for Scratcher

C15: via Old French escrater from Germanic; compare Old High German krazzōn (German kratzen ); related to Old French gratter to grate 1

Synonyms for Scratcher

frivolous, lesser, minor, narrow-minded, base, inessential, inferior, junior, light, little, lower, peanut, scratch, secondary, shallow, shoestring, slight, small, subordinate, trifling, casual, cheap, contemptible, inconsequent, inconsiderable, irrelevant, measly, negligible, nickel-and-dime, niggling, paltry, penny-ante, pettifogging, picayune, piddling, shabby, small-minded, two-bit, unimportant