I. ˈskab, ˈskaa(ə)b noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English scab, scabbe, of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Swedish skabbr scab; akin to Old English sceabb scab, Latin scabies mange, scabere to scratch — more at shave
1. archaic : a disease of the skin forming pustules or scales
2. : scabies of domestic animals ; especially : psoroptic mange
3. : crust 3e(1)
4.
a. : a mean contemptible person : scoundrel
b.
(1) : one who refuses to join a union
(2) : a member of a union who refuses to strike or returns to work before a strike has ended
(3) : a worker who accepts employment or replaces a union worker during a strike
(4) : one who works for lower wages than or under conditions contrary to those prescribed by a union — compare blackleg , strikebreaker
c. : rat 2b(1)
5.
a. : any of various bacterial or fungous diseases of plants characterized by crustlike spots — see apple scab , potato scab , wheat scab
b. : one of the crusty spots in any of these diseases
6. : a short piece of timber nailed or bolted to two abutting timbers to splice them together
7.
a. : a slight irregular protuberance on a casting caused by a break in the mold
b. : a part of a surface of a wire or strip damaged by an adhesion of scale or other matter
8. : a defect in enamel resembling a scab on skin
9. : a piece of a target broken off from the rear opposite the place struck
II. verb
( scabbed ; scabbed ; scabbing ; scabs )
intransitive verb
1. : to become covered with a scab : form a scab
the wound scabbed over
2. : to act as a scab
trying to scab against their own fellow musicians — Internat'l Musician
3. : to throw off a piece from the rear opposite the place struck
data bearing on the scabbing of metals under explosive attack — Bulletin of American Physical Society
transitive verb
1. : to label or treat (someone) as a scab : label (a job or a shop) as such that anyone working will be treated as a scab
2. : to break off (a piece) from the rear of a target opposite the place struck
bombs scabbed the concrete