SCRATCHING

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does scratching mean? 

• SCRATCHING (noun)
  The noun SCRATCHING has 1 sense:

1. a harsh noise made by scraping

  Familiarity information: SCRATCHING used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SCRATCHING (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A harsh noise made by scraping

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

scrape; scraping; scratch; scratching

Context example:

the scrape of violin bows distracted her

Hypernyms ("scratching" is a kind of...):

noise (sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound))

 Context examples 

Symptoms are: • Tickling feeling in the hair • Frequent itching • Sores from scratching • Irritability and difficulty sleeping.

(Head Lice, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

He was scratching about among the litter of papers upon his desk.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“I know not about that,” said the big archer, scratching his head in perplexity.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

A raised, inflamed skin reaction to pressure from rubbing or scratching.

(Dermatographism, NCI Thesaurus)

Scratching the skin triggers a series of immune responses culminating in an increased number of activated mast cells — immune cells involved in allergic reactions — in the small intestine.

(Scratching the skin primes the gut for allergic reactions to food, mouse study suggests, National Institutes of Health)

They are often itchy, but scratching them can spread the sores.

(Impetigo, NIH: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

“Why, yes,” returned the captain, scratching his head; “and making a large allowance, sir, for all the gifts of Providence, I should say we were pretty close hauled.”

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Skin findings arising from repeated rubbing, picking or scratching of a real or imagined irritation of the skin.

(Neurodermatitis, NCI Thesaurus)

Hum! said he, scratching his chin in some perplexity, my theory certainly presents some difficulties.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“It’s a blessed mystery to me,” cried Pycroft, scratching his head.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)