Middle English Dictionary Entry
scratten v.
Entry Info
| Forms | scratten v. Also scrat(te, skrat; p. scrattede & scrat(te, skrat(te. |
| Etymology | ?OF esgrater or AL scratāre [quot.: PParv. in (a)]; perh. imitative, from ML cratāre or OF grater; cp. ME craten v. & OSwed. kratta, Swed. skratta. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To scratch (sb., the face, etc.) with the nails; ppl. scratted, scratched (by thorns, etc.); (b) to scratch with the nails; (c) in surname.
Associated quotations
a
- a1425(a1400) PConsc.(Glb E.9 & Hrl 4196)7378 : Ilk ane scratte other in þe face.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)10059 : Sche drow hir heer & scratte hir face.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)10289 : Sche skrat hir face..Til it was ronnen al on blod.
- c1425(c1400) Ld.Troy (LdMisc 595)17741 : He scrat his hede & tare his heer.
- (1440) Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)275 : Aboute his nose ȝekyng gan he fele..Onto þat place to scrat it mad he hast With his fyngeris scharply on þe boon.
- (1440) PParv.(Hrl 221)450 : Scrattyn, or scratchyn: Scrato.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)25/1 : He commandid all þe toder apis for to bite hym & skratt hym with þer tethe & þer naylis.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)515/13 : He come home all tobittyn and skrattyd with thornys and breers.
- 1451-1500 Tundale (Wagner)162 : Wyth here nayles in þat plase Ilkone scratted [vrr. skratte; scragged, cracched] other in þe fase.
- c1460 Who so can (Dub 432)10 : He scrattes his modre in the visage.
- 1483 Cath.Angl.(Monson 168)325 : To Scratte: scabere, scalpere, scalpitare.
- a1500 7 Sages(1) (Cmb Ff.2.38)196/391 : Sche..scratted hur vysage all with blood.
b
- a1250 Ancr.(Tit D.18)58/15 : Nis tat child ful itohen þet scrattes [Corp-C: scratleð; Nero: schrepeð; Cleo: schindleð; Pep: cracchen] aȝain & bites o þe ȝerde?
c
- (1327) Nickname in LuSE 55157 : Rob. Scrattayl.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- (1467) Paston (EETS)1.534 : We haue hom the most part of your barly saue fro Wynterton, and þat I trost to haue þis next wek, or ellys we wyll scrat [Gairdner: strat] for it, by the grace of God.
Note: This appears to belong under scratten v. (Gairdner's reading str- prob. less likely than Davis' scr-)
Note: Supplemental material for (b)
Note: Cp. stradelen v. and its etymology MnE dial. scrat 'to scratch, make a scratching noise.'