different between cratch vs wratch

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /k?æt?/

Etymology 1

From Middle English cratchen, cracchen (“to scratch”), alteration of *cratsen (“to scratch”), from Old Norse *kratsa or Middle Low German kratsen, krassen (“to scratch”), both ultimately from Old High German krazz?n, craz?n (“to scratch”), from Proto-Germanic *kratt?n? (“to scratch”), from Proto-Indo-European *gred-, *grod- (“to scratch, scrape”). Cognate with Icelandic krota (“to engrave”). Compare also Icelandic krassa (“to scrawl”), Danish kradse (“to scratch, scrape, claw”), Swedish kratsa (“to scratch”), Dutch kratsen (“to scratch”), German kratzen (“to scratch”).

Verb

cratch (third-person singular simple present cratches, present participle cratching, simple past and past participle cratched)

1. (obsolete) To scratch.

References

• An historical dictionary

Etymology 2

From Middle English cratche, cracche, crecche (“crib”), from Old French creche (“crib, manger”), from Frankish *krippja (“crib”), from Proto-Germanic *kribj?. More at creche, crib.

Noun

cratch (plural cratches)

1. (obsolete) A grated crib or manger.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, A Hymne of Heavenly Love

     Begin from first where He encradled was, / In simple cratch, wrapt in a wad of hay.

2. (nautical) The vertical planks at the forward end of the hold of a traditional English narrowboat which constrain the cargo and support the top plank or walkway.

Derived terms

• cratch cradle

Etymology 3

Noun

cratch (plural cratches)

1. A swelling on a horse's pastern, under the fetlock.

English

Noun

wratch (plural wratches)

1. Archaic form of wretch.