■ verb
1》 score or mark with a sharp or pointed object.
↘make a long, narrow superficial wound in the skin of.
↘rub (a part of one's body) with one's fingernails to relieve itching.
↘(of a bird or mammal) rake the ground with the beak or claws in search of food.
↘(often ~ around/along ) make a living or find resources with difficulty.
2》 cancel or strike out (writing) with a pen or pencil.
↘withdraw from a competition.
↘cancel or abandon (an undertaking or project).
3》 play a record using the ~ technique.
■ noun
1》 a mark or wound made by ~ing.
↘ informal a slight or insignificant wound or injury.
↘an act or period of ~ing.
2》 the starting point in a race for a competitor that is not given a handicap or an advantage.
↘ Golf a handicap of zero, indicating that a player is good enough to achieve par on a course.
3》 a technique, used especially in rap music, of stopping a record by hand and moving it back and forwards to give a rhythmic ~ing effect.
4》 informal money.
■ adjective
1》 assembled or made from whatever is available.
2》 (of a sports competitor or event) with no handicap given.
Phrases
from ~ from the very beginning, especially without making use of any previous work.
~ one's head informal think hard in order to find a solution.
~ the surface deal with or investigate a matter only in the most superficial way.
up to ~ up to the required standard; satisfactory.
Derivatives
~er noun
~ing noun
Origin
ME: prob. a blend of the synonymous dialect words scrat and cratch , both of uncertain origin.