Scratch, n.
 1. A break in the surface of a thing made by scratching, or by rubbing with anything pointed or rough; a slight wound, mark, furrow, or incision.
    The coarse file . . . makes deep scratches in the work.   --Moxon.
    These nails with scratches deform my breast.   --Prior.
 God forbid a shallow scratch should drive
 The prince of Wales from such a field as this.   --Shak.
 2. Pugilistic Matches A line across the prize ring; up to which boxers are brought when they join fight; hence, test, trial, or proof of courage; as, to bring to the scratch; to come up to the scratch. [Cant]
 3. pl. Far. Minute, but tender and troublesome, excoriations, covered with scabs, upon the heels of horses which have been used where it is very wet or muddy.
 4. A kind of wig covering only a portion of the head.
 5. Billiards (a) A shot which scores by chance and not as intended by the player; a fluke. [Cant, U. S.] (b) a shot which results in a penalty, such as dropping the cue ball in a pocket without hitting another ball.
 6. In various sports, the line from which the start is made, except in the case of contestants receiving a distance handicap.
 Scratch cradle. See Cratch cradle, under Cratch.
 Scratch grass Bot., a climbing knotweed (Polygonum sagittatum) with a square stem beset with fine recurved prickles along the angles.
 Scratch wig. Same as Scratch, 4, above.
 start from scratch to start (again) from the very beginning; also, to start without resources.


 Cratch n.  A manger or open frame for hay; a crib; a rack. [Obs.]
 Begin from first where He encradled was,
 In simple cratch, wrapt in a wad of hay.   --Spenser.
 Cratch cradle, a representation of the figure of the cratch, made upon the fingers with a string; cat's cradle; -- called also scratch cradle.

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