26984 words

scratched

8 definitions • 13 examples
1
past simple and past participle of
2
to cut or damage a surface or your skin slightly with or on something sharp or rough:

Examples:

We scratched the wall trying to get the bed into Martha's room.
Be careful not to scratch yourself on the roses.
scratch about/around for A few chickens were scratching about/around (= searching with their beaks) in the yard for grain.
3
If you scratch something on or off a surface, you add it or remove it by scratching:

Examples:

scratch something on something People have been scratching their names on this rock for years.
scratch something off something I scratched some paint off the door as I was getting out of the car.
4
If an animal scratches, it rubs something with its claws (= sharp nails):

Examples:

scratch at The dog's scratching at the door – he wants to be let in.
5
to rub your skin with your nails:

Examples:

scratch (at) He was scratching (at) his mosquito bites.
Hannah scratched her head thoughtfully.
6
to remove yourself or another person or an animal from a competition before the start:

Examples:

scratch from The world champion scratched from the 800 metres after injuring herself the day before.
scratch someone/something from something They scratched the horse from the race because she had become lame.
7
to decide not to do something you had planned to do:

Examples:

We had to scratch our plans when I lost my job.
8
used for saying you take back something you have just said, especially in order to say it in a better way or to say something different:

Examples:

Everything I did was in the cause of safety. No, scratch that – not safety but survival.
It would have been better to say your brother wasn’t driving the car at all. Scratch that – telling the truth is usually best in the end.

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