scratch

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++

Related topics: Colours & sounds, Sport

scratch1 /skrætʃ/ ●●● S3 verb  1  rub your skin 挠皮肤 [intransitive, transitive]RUB to rub your skin with your nails because it feels uncomfortable 〔用指甲〕挠，搔，轻抓 → itch John yawned and scratched his leg. 约翰打了个呵欠，挠了挠腿。 Try not to scratch. 尽量别挠。scratch at He was scratching at the bites on his arm. 他挠着手臂上被叮咬的地方。► see thesaurus at touch2  cut SB’s skin 割破某人的皮肤 [intransitive, transitive]CUT to cut someone’s skin slightly with your nails or with something sharp 〔用指甲〕抓破，抓伤；〔用利器〕划破 She ran at him and scratched his face. 她冲过去抓他的脸。 Don’t scratch yourself on the thorns. 别让刺扎着自己。3  make a mark 划出痕迹 [transitive]CUT to make a small cut or mark on something by pulling something sharp across it 划出，刮出〔痕迹〕 I’m afraid I’ve scratched your car. 不好意思，我把你的汽车给刮坏了。 Some of the prisoners had scratched their names on the walls. 有些囚犯在墙上刻下自己的姓名。4  animals 动物 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition]C if an animal scratches, it rubs its feet against something, often making a noise 〔用爪子〕抓，刨 A few chickens scratched around in the yard. 几只小鸡在院子里抓抓刨刨。scratch at a dog scratching at the door to be let in 挠门想进屋的一条狗5  remove STH 除去某物 [transitive always + adverb/preposition]REMOVE to remove something from a surface by rubbing it with something sharp 刮掉，划掉scratch something off/away etc I scratched away a little of the paint with my fingernail. 我用指甲刮掉一点油漆。6  remove writing 划去文字 [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to remove a word from a piece of writing by drawing a line through it 勾掉，划去〔写下的字〕 SYN cross outscratch something from/off something I have scratched his name from the list. 我把他的名字从名单上划掉了。7  make a noise 发出声音 [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to make a rough sound by moving something sharp across a surface 〔用尖利物〕刮擦出声音 His pen scratched away on the paper. 他用钢笔在纸上沙沙地写着。8  scratch the surface PARTto deal with only a very small part of a subject or problem 仅触及问题的表面scratch the surface of I think we have only scratched the surface of this problem. 我认为我们仅仅触及了这个问题的表面。9  scratch your head informalTHINK ABOUT to think carefully about a difficult question or problem 动脑筋，〔对难题〕苦思冥想 This crisis has politicians scratching their heads and wondering what to do. 这场危机让政治家们抓破了脑袋，不知怎么办才好。10. stop STH happening 阻止某事发生 [transitive] informalSTOP DOING something if you scratch an idea or a plan, you decide that you will not do it 取消，撤销〔想法或计划〕 SYN abandon11. remove from race 退出比赛 [intransitive, transitive] informalDS if someone scratches from a race, or if you scratch them from the race, they do not take part in it （使）退出比赛12. you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yoursI’ll scratch yours you scratch my back spokenHELP used to say that you will help someone if they agree to help you 你帮我，我也帮你13 scratch around (also scratch about British English) phrasal verb to try to find or get something which is difficult to find or get 〔困难地〕搜寻，查找，寻找 for homeless people scratching around for a place to shelter 四处找寻容身之所的无家可归者14 REMOVE WRITING 划去文字scratch something ↔ out phrasal verb WRITEREMOVEto remove a word from a piece of writing by drawing a line through it 划掉，删掉〔文字〕 SYN cross out Emma’s name had been scratched out. 埃玛的名字被划掉了。 → scrape/scratch a living at living2(1)→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

scratch• She found her friend, Felicia Moon, bruised and scratched after a fight with her husband.• Maura rubbed her face against his cheek and felt his stubble scratching against her smooth skin.• One of these involves using the hind leg to scratch an area of skin to which an irritant has been applied.• The dog kept scratching at the door to be let in.• He sat scratching his head, trying to think of the answer.• He sat thinking, scratching his head.• The cat will scratch if you make her mad.• There's a spot in the middle of my back that itches - can you scratch it for me?• Don't scratch - it will only make the itching worse.• The cat scratched me while I was playing with her.• I scratch my face to feel a bloodless mound.• I scratched my hand on a rusty nail.• For a couple of years he scratched out a living, feeling sorry for himself and dissipating his savings.• The medicine relieves the itching, so the child doesn't scratch so much.• Well, I guess we can scratch that idea.• She scratched the knife along the zipper of my jeans and threw the blade again.• Don't scratch - the rash will get infected.• I scratched the side of the car as I was backing it into the driveway.• Don't use that cleaner - it'll scratch the sink.• Be careful not to scratch the table with those scissors.• I had several mosquito bites, and it was difficult not to scratch them.• They scratched themselves, and worse.

Related topics: Illness & disability, Colours & sounds

scratch2 ●●○ noun  1  cut 划伤 [countable] a small cut on someone’s skin 〔某人皮肤上的〕划痕，划伤 There were deep scratches all over her face. 她脸上全是深深的伤痕。 Don’t worry, it’s only a scratch (=not a serious injury). 别担心，只是一道划伤。 She was unharmed apart from a few cuts and scratches. 除了几处皮外伤外，她安然无恙。2  mark 划痕 [countable]MIMARK a thin mark or cut on the surface of something 刮痕，划痕 There was a big scratch on the car door. 车门上有一条深深的划痕。 →5 see picture at 见图 damage13  from scratch START DOING somethingif you start something from scratch, you begin it without using anything that existed or was prepared before 从零开始，从头开始；白手起家 We had to start again from scratch. 我们只好再次从零开始。 He had built the business up from scratch. 他白手起家创办了这家企业。4  up to scratch British English informalGOOD ENOUGH# good enough for a particular standard 够得上标准，达到应有的水平 Some of this work isn’t up to scratch. 这项工作有一部分没有达到标准。bring/get something up to scratch We spent thousands of pounds getting the house up to scratch. 我们花了几千英镑把房子弄得像个样子了。5  HBHrub 揉搓 [singular] especially British English when you rub part of your body with your nails because it feels uncomfortable 抓，挠 He stretched and had a scratch. 他伸了个懒腰，抓了抓痒。 He brushed his hair and gave his scalp a good scratch. 他梳了一下头发，又使劲挠了挠头皮。6  sound 声音 [countable]C a sound made by something sharp or rough being rubbed on a hard surface 刮擦声 I heard the scratch of an animal’s claws on the door. 我听到动物在抓门的声音。

Examples from the Corpus

scratch• It's just a scratch - nothing serious.• a scratch on the car door• Small imperfections such as cuts and scratches can be sanded out with fine sandpaper.• Stories can be begun from scratch or spun off samples.• That was the same idea Albiez had in 1990 when he decided to make an electric car from scratch.• So, in one sense I was not starting entirely from scratch.• That was kind of from scratch.• The last of his scratch marks have faded now but his memories never will.• His face was covered in scratches.• The former captain of Staffordshire, who played off scratch for many years, beat his age by two shots.• He looked with concern at the scratches on Lucy's face, then poured tea which he insisted she drank at once.only a scratch• The above four cases only scratch the surface.• But after a summer in Trinidad, he realized he had only scratched the surface of the eclectic and complex belief system.• So far palaeontologists have only scratched the surface of a formation that Rauhut estimates covers at least several hundred square kilometres.• The Government's proposal is welcome, but it only scratches the surface of the problem.• Surface only scratched and the guide has proved its worth already.• But without proper government action, they only scratch at the problem.• A lot of titles for this year you may think, but I've only scratched the surface.had a scratch• Nurse found the worst patches around his ears where he had scratched the scalp sore.• This cat had no whiskers + he had scratch on his nose.• Some one had scratched the eyes out of an otter on the litter campaign poster.

Related topics: Sport

scratch3 adjective [no comparative]  1. DSa scratch team or group of people has been put together in a hurry, using anyone that is available 〔团队等〕仓促拼凑的，匆匆组成的2. DSa scratch player in golf is very good and is not given any advantage in games 〔高尔夫球员〕无让杆的，无让步优 待的

Examples from the Corpus

scratch• The kitchen has a beautiful wooden floor, but it's badly scratched.Origin scratch1 (1300-1400) Probably from scrat “to scratch” ((13-19 centuries)) + cratch “to scratch” ((13-16 centuries))

scratch1 verbscratch2 nounscratch3 adjectiveChinese  

nails rub Corpus it with your because your to skin

scratch

I

scratch¹ S3 /skrætʃ/ verb1.  RUB YOUR SKIN  [intransitive and transitive] to rub your skin with your nails because it feels uncomfortable ⇨ itch:
    John yawned and scratched his leg.
    Try not to scratch.
    scratch at
    He was scratching at the bites on his arm.
2.  CUT SB’S SKIN  [intransitive and transitive] to cut someone’s skin slightly with your nails or with something sharp:
    She ran at him and scratched his face.
    Don’t scratch yourself on the thorns.
3.  MAKE A MARK  [transitive] to make a small cut or mark on something by pulling something sharp across it:
    I’m afraid I’ve scratched your car.
    Some of the prisoners had scratched their names on the walls.
4.  ANIMALS  [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] if an animal scratches, it rubs its feet against something, often making a noise:
    A few chickens scratched around in the yard.
    scratch at
    a dog scratching at the door to be let in
5.  REMOVE SOMETHING  [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to remove something from a surface by rubbing it with something sharp
    scratch something off/away etc
    I scratched away a little of the paint with my fingernail.
6.  REMOVE WRITING  [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to remove a word from a piece of writing by drawing a line through it
   SYN  cross out
    scratch something from/off something
    I have scratched his name from the list.
7.  MAKE A NOISE  [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to make a rough sound by moving something sharp across a surface:
    His pen scratched away on the paper.
8. scratch the surface to deal with only a very small part of a subject or problem
    scratch the surface of
    I think we have only scratched the surface of this problem.
9. scratch your head informal to think carefully about a difficult question or problem:
    This crisis has politicians scratching their heads and wondering what to do.
10.  STOP SOMETHING HAPPENING  [transitive] informal if you scratch an idea or a plan, you decide that you will not do it
   SYN  abandon
11.  REMOVE FROM RACE  [intransitive and transitive] informal if someone scratches from a race, or if you scratch them from the race, they do not take part in it
12. you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours spoken used to say that you will help someone if they agree to help you
⇨ scrape/scratch a living at living²(1)
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ touch to put your fingers or hand onto someone or something for a very short time: Don’t touch the iron – it’s hot__
   ▪ feel to touch something with your fingers in order to find out about it: Feel how soft this material is. | I felt his forehead. It was cold.
   ▪ handle to touch something and pick it up and hold it in your hands: Children should always wash their hands before handling food. | The glass was very fragile, and she handled it with great care. | Please do not handle the merchandise.
   ▪ finger to touch or handle something with your fingers, especially while you are thinking of other things: She fingered the heavy necklace around her neck.
   ▪ rub to move your hand over a surface while pressing it: Bob rubbed his eyes and yawned.
   ▪ scratch to rub part of your body with your nails, often because it ITCHES: The dog kept scratching its ear. | Bob scratched his head thoughtfully.
   ▪ tickle to move your fingers lightly over someone’s body in order to make them laugh: The baby giggled as I tickled him.
   ▪ grope to touch someone’s body in a sexual way when they do not want to be touched: The officer was accused of groping several women in his platoon.
scratch around (also scratch about British English) phrasal verb
  to try to find or get something which is difficult to find or get
    scratch around for
    homeless people scratching around for a place to shelter
     
scratch something ↔ out phrasal verb
  to remove a word from a piece of writing by drawing a line through it
   SYN  cross out:
    Emma’s name had been scratched out.

II

scratch² noun
1.  CUT  [countable] a small cut on someone’s skin:
    There were deep scratches all over her face.
    Don’t worry, it’s only a scratch (=not a serious injury).
    She was unharmed apart from a few cuts and scratches.
2.  MARK  [countable] a thin mark or cut on the surface of something:
    There was a big scratch on the car door.
3. from scratch if you start something from scratch, you begin it without using anything that existed or was prepared before:
    We had to start again from scratch.
    He had built the business up from scratch.
4. up to scratch British English informal good enough for a particular standard:
    Some of this work isn’t up to scratch.
    bring/get something up to scratch
    We spent thousands of pounds getting the house up to scratch.
5.  RUB  [singular] especially British English when you rub part of your body with your nails because it feels uncomfortable:
    He stretched and had a scratch.
    He brushed his hair and gave his scalp a good scratch.
6.  SOUND  [countable] a sound made by something sharp or rough being rubbed on a hard surface:
    I heard the scratch of an animal’s claws on the door.

III

scratch³ adjective [no comparative]
1. a scratch team or group of people has been put together in a hurry, using anyone that is available
2. a scratch player in golf is very good and is not given any advantage in games