Scratch

Scratch, skrach, v.t. to mark the surface with something pointed, as the nails: to tear or to dig with the claws: to write hurriedly: to erase.—v.i. to use the claws in tearing or digging: to delete a name on a voting-paper.—n. a mark or tear made by scratching: a slight wound: the line in a prize-ring up to which boxers are led—hence test, trial, as in 'to come up to the scratch:' (pl.) a disease in horses: the time of starting of a player: in billiards, a chance stroke which is successful: a kind of wig, a scratch-wig: a scrawl.—adj. taken at random, as a 'scratch crew:' without handicap, or allowance of time or distance.—ns. Scratch′-back, a kind of toy, which, when drawn over a person's back, makes a sound as if his coat was torn; Scratch′-brush, a name given to various forms of brushes; Scratch′-coat, the first coat of plaster; Scratch′er, a bird which scratches for food.—adv. Scratch′ingly.—n.pl. Scratch′ings, refuse matter strained out of fat when melted.—ns. Scratch′-weed, the goose-grass; Scratch′-wig, a wig that covers only part of the head; Scratch′-work, a kind of wall decoration.—adj. Scratch′y, ragged: scratching: of little depth.—Scratch out, to erase. [Explained by Skeat as due to the confusion of M. E. skratten, to scratch, with M. E. cracchen, to scratch: skratten standing for skarten, an extended form from Ice. sker-a, to shear; cracchen, again, stands for kratsen—Sw. kratsa, to scrape.]