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. Law
4. A kind of wig covering only a portion of the head.
5. (Billiards) A shot which scores by chance and not as intended by the player; a fluke. [Cant, U. S.]
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. Thackeray.
Scratch
(Scratch), a. Made, done, or happening by chance; arranged with little or no preparation; determined
by circumstances; haphazard; as, a scratch team; a scratch crew for a boat race; a scratch shot in billiards.
[Slang]
Scratch race,
one without restrictions regarding the entrance of competitors; also, one for which the
competitors are chosen by lot.
Scratchback
(Scratch"back`) n. A toy which imitates the sound of tearing cloth, — used by drawing it
across the back of unsuspecting persons. [Eng.]
Scratchbrush
(Scratch"brush`) n. A stiff wire brush for cleaning iron castings and other metal.
Scratch coat
(Scratch" coat`) The first coat in plastering; — called also scratchwork. See Pricking-up.
Scratcher
(Scratch"er) n. One who, or that which, scratches; specifically (Zoöl.), any rasorial bird.
Scratching
(Scratch"ing), adv. With the action of scratching.
Scratchweed
(Scratch"weed`) n. (Bot.) Cleavers.
Scratchwork
(Scratch"work`) n. See Scratch coat.
Scratchy
(Scratch"y) a. Characterized by scratches.
Scraw
(Scraw) n. [Ir. scrath a turf, sgraith a turf, green sod; akin to Gael. sgrath, sgroth, the outer
skin of anything, a turf, a green sod.] A turf. [Obs.] Swift.
Scrawl
(Scrawl) v. i. See Crawl. [Obs.] Latimer.
Scrawl
(Scrawl), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Scrawled ; p. pr. & vb. n. Scrawling.] [Probably corrupted from
scrabble.] To draw or mark awkwardly and irregularly; to write hastily and carelessly; to scratch; to scribble; as,
to scrawl a letter.
His name, scrawled by himself.
Macaulay. Scrawl
(Scrawl), v. i. To write unskillfully and inelegantly.
Though with a golden pen you scrawl.
Swift.
Scrawl
(Scrawl) n. Unskillful or inelegant writing; that which is unskillfully or inelegantly written.
The left hand will make such a scrawl, that it will not be legible.
Arbuthnot.
You bid me write no more than a scrawl to you.
Gray. Scrawler
(Scrawl"er) n. One who scrawls; a hasty, awkward writer.