verb / noun

scratch

To mark by scraping with a sharp point.

The cat scratches the wooden door with its sharp claws.

Etymology

Scratch belongs to an expressive family of scraping words. It describes drawing a sharp point across a surface so that it leaves a mark.

More examples

  • Be careful not to scratch the table with that tool.
  • A long scratch runs across the car's blue paint.
  • She scratched her initials into the wet clay.

Forms

scratch · scratches · scratched · scratching

Similar words

scrape
Often damages a wider area rather than leaving a narrow mark.
score
Usually means deliberately cutting a line into a surface.
gouge
Means cutting a deeper groove or hole into something.