Words / B2

SKRACH/skrætʃ/

To scratch is to mark a surface with something sharp; from scratch means starting with nothing; also to withdraw a candidate: build from scratch; scratch from a race. Scrape is heavier contact. Build the model from scratch. Mix-up: stretch is to pull longer (already in the dictionary). Do not write “from the scratch”.

Meaning

To mark a surface with something sharp; also to start from nothing (from scratch), or to withdraw a candidate.

Examples

• “Build the model from scratch; a kit from last year will not count.”
• “She was scratched from the heat after the medical note, which is the withdraw sense.”

Good to know

scratch + surface; from scratch; scratch from a race. Trap: stretch. DT, sport, and news. Mark, start with nothing, or withdraw.

New