come to the scratch

verb

To step up to the scratch or mark made in the ring to be toed by the combatants in beginning a contest.

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Meanings

verbcome to the scratch (third-person singular simple present comes to the scratch, present participle coming to the scratch, simple past came to the scratch, past participle come to the scratch)

present singular third person comes to the scratch · participle present coming to the scratch · past came to the scratch

  1. To step up to the scratch or mark made in the ring to be toed by the combatants in beginning a contest.
  2. colloquialfigurativelyTo meet an antagonist or a difficulty bravely.
Cite this entry
APA

come to the scratch. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/come%20to%20the%20scratch

MLA

“come to the scratch.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/come%20to%20the%20scratch. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “come to the scratch,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/come%20to%20the%20scratch.

Source: come to the scratch on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.