Pronunciation: /skrætʃ/

Definitions of scratch

noun a mark or wound made by scraping or abrasion

Example Sentences

A1 My cat loves to scratch its scratching post.

A2 I have a small scratch on my phone screen.

B1 She got a scratch on her arm from the bushes.

B2 The scratch on the car door will need to be fixed.

C1 The scratch on the antique table decreased its value.

C2 He noticed a scratch on his new watch and was disappointed.

verb to scrape or dig with the nails, claws, or a sharp object

Example Sentences

A1 The cat scratched the furniture.

A2 I scratched my head trying to remember where I put my keys.

B1 She scratched her arm on a branch while hiking in the forest.

B2 The athlete scratched his knee during the marathon.

C1 The musician scratched the record to create a unique sound.

C2 The artist scratched intricate designs into the metal surface.

Examples of scratch in a Sentence

formal The cat left a scratch on the furniture.

informal I accidentally scratched my phone screen.

slang I need to scratch that itch.

figurative She managed to scratch the surface of the problem.

Grammatical Forms of scratch

past tense

scratched

plural

scratches

comparative

scratchier

superlative

scratchiest

present tense

scratch

future tense

will scratch

perfect tense

have scratched

continuous tense

is scratching

singular

scratch

positive degree

scratch

infinitive

to scratch

gerund

scratching

participle

scratched

Origin and Evolution of scratch

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Old English
Story behind the word: The word 'scratch' originated from the Old English word 'screccan' meaning 'to scratch, to scrape'.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'scratch' has retained its basic meaning of scraping or marking the surface of something with a sharp object, but it has also evolved to include informal meanings such as 'to cancel or eliminate' as in 'scratch a plan' or 'to improvise or do something without preparation' as in 'scratch a performance'.