scratch (redirected from scratched an and find an)

*from scratch

Fig. [making something] by starting from the beginning with the basic ingredients. (*Typically: bake something ~; do something ~; make something ~; Start (something) ~.) We made the cake from scratch, using no prepared ingredients. I didn't have a ladder, so I made one from scratch.

like tryin' to scratch your ear with your elbow

Rur. impossible. Getting those kids to settle down is like tryin' to scratch your ear with your elbow. Fixing all the leaks in that old roof is like tryin' to scratch your ear with your elbow.

See also: ear, elbow, like

not up to scratch and not up to snuff

Fig. not adequate. Sorry, your paper isn't up to scratch. Please do it over again. The performance was not up to snuff.

See also: and, snuff, up

scratch someone or something from something

to mark the name of someone or something off a list. We were obliged to scratch Dave from the list. The judges scratched the large collie from the eligibility list.

scratch someone or something out

to mark out the name of someone or something. I scratched John out and wrote in George instead. I scratched out John and forgot about him.

See also: out

scratch someone or something up

to damage or mar someone or something by scratching. Being thrown clear of the car in the accident didn't break any bones, but it scratched her up a lot. Who scratched up my coffee table?

See also: up

scratch someone's back 

1. Lit. to scratch, usually with the fingers, the parts of someone's back that they cannot reach. Please scratch my back between my shoulder blades.

2. Fig. to do a favor for someone in return for a favor done for you. You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours. We believe that the mayor has been scratching the treasurer's back.

See also: back

scratch something away

to rub or scrape something off by scratching. Look at the finish on this furniture. The cat has almost scratched it away! That cat scratched away the finish on the table!

See also: away

scratch about (for something) and scratch around (for something)

1. Lit. to hunt for something in dirt, gravel, rocks, etc. The prospector spent the day scratching about for signs of gold. The chickens were scratching around for something to eat.

2. Fig. to look very hard for something. The children were scratching about the kitchen for something to eat. I've been scratching around for a new assistant for months now.

scratch at something

to scratch something. You shouldn't scratch at a chigger bite because it might get infected. Don't scratch at it!

scratch the surface 

1. Lit. to scratch something just on the surface, not extending the mark below the finish into the wood, stone, marble, below. There is no serious damage done to the bench. You only scratched the surface.

2. Fig. to just begin to find out about something; to examine only the superficial aspects of something. The investigation of the governor's staff revealed some suspicious dealing. It is thought that the investigators have just scratched the surface. We don't know how bad the problem is. We've only scratched the surface.

See also: surface

start from scratch

to start from the very beginning; to start from nothing. Whenever I bake a cake, I start from scratch. I never use a cake mix in a box. I built every bit of my own house. I started from scratch and did everything with my own hands.

See also: start

up to snuff and up to scratch

Fig. as good as is required; meeting the minimum requirements. Sorry, Tom. Your performance isn't up to snuff. You'll have to improve or find another job. My paper wasn't up to scratch, so I got an F.

See also: snuff, up

You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

Fig. You do a favor for me and I'll do a favor for you.; If you do something for me that I cannot do for myself, I will do something for you that you cannot do for yourself. I'll grab the box on the top shelf if you will creep under the table and pick up my pen. You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours.

See also: and, back

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not be up to scratch

to not be of an acceptable standard or quality I'm afraid your last essay wasn't up to scratch. (British & Australian) (British & Australian)

See also: up

from scratch

if you do something from scratch, you start right at the beginning We lost all our work in the fire and had to start from scratch. George built a garage from scratch.

scratch the surface

if you scratch the surface of a subject or a problem, you only discover or deal with a very small part of it (usually + of ) Up to now newspaper articles have only scratched the surface of this tremendously complex issue.

See also: surface

up to snuff

if someone or something is up to snuff, they are of an acceptable standard or quality (often negative) Their wine-list is very good but I'm afraid the food isn't really up to snuff. The police force is replacing its older patrol cars to make sure they all come up to snuff. We have spent a tremendous amount of money bringing the department up to snuff.

See also: snuff, up

You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.  also I'll scratch your back if you scratch mine.

something that you say to tell someone that you will help them if they will help you I do have some information you might be interested in, but what can you offer me in return? You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

See also: and, back

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from scratch

from nothing We decided to build a newspaper pretty much from scratch.

Usage notes: often used in the form start from scratch: Can we fix the current computer system, or would it be better to start from scratch?

scratch your head

to have difficulty understanding something A lot of people must be scratching their heads and trying to figure out what happened.

See also: head

scratch the surface

to deal with only a small part of a subject or a problem All the payments we've made so far have hardly scratched the surface of the total we borrowed.

See also: surface

up to scratch

at an acceptable standard or quality We're giving him a week to bring the team up to scratch.

Usage notes: often used in the form not up to scratch: I'm afraid your last essay wasn't up to scratch.

Related vocabulary: on a par with somebody/something

See also: up

up to snuff

at or to an acceptable level of quality We have a part in designing and manufacturing products and then checking to make sure they're up to snuff. Utah's bridges are in trouble, and it would cost $88 million to bring the worst cases up to snuff.

Usage notes: often used in the negative: Earnings weren't up to snuff in the last quarter.

See also: snuff, up