scratcher en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈskɹæt͡ʃɚ/ (General-American)
- (Australia) audio
- /ˈskɹæt͡ʃə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
Etymology
From scratch + -er.
Meanings
- Someone who scratches.
- A piece of equipment used to scratch part of the body to relieve an itch.
-
An item made of shreddable material (carpet, corrugated cardboard, etc.) designed to be scratched, usually by pet cats.
Near-synonym: scratching post
- A scratch card.
-
(slang) A bedding place (e.g., mattress, bunk, hay bed, or bed).
Near-synonym: pallet
- Any rasorial bird.
-
(slang) A counterfeiter.
“I’m what they used to call a scratcher,” the Ukrainian said. “Dupes, counterfeits, identification. Turn wrong names right.”
2023, Colson Whitehead, Crook Manifesto, Fleet, page 93:
- (derogatory, slang) An unlicensed tattoo artist.
- A device for cleaning mud etc. from a wellbore.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| scratchers | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
head scratcher · booty scratcher · back scratcher
Hypernyms
critter · creature · animal · device · bird