different between scratch vs buzz

English

Etymology

From Middle English scracchen, of uncertain origin. Probably a blend of Middle English scratten (“to scratch”) and cracchen (“to scratch”). More at scrat and cratch.

Pronunciation

• enPR: skr?ch, IPA^(key): /sk?æt?/
• Rhymes: -æt?

Verb

scratch (third-person singular simple present scratches, present participle scratching, simple past and past participle scratched)

1. To rub a surface with a sharp object, especially by a living creature to remove itching with nails, claws, etc.
   • 1733, Jonathan Swift, On Poetry, a Rhapsody

     Be mindful, when invention fails, / To scratch your head, and bite your nails.

2. To rub the skin with rough material causing a sensation of irritation; to cause itching.
   1. For a man, when kissing someone, to irritate the skin of that person with one's unshaven beard.
3. To mark a surface with a sharp object, thereby leaving a scratch (noun).

4. To cross out, strike out, strike through some text on a page.
   1. Hence, to remove, ignore or delete.

5. (music) To produce a distinctive sound on a turntable by moving a vinyl record back and forth while manipulating the crossfader (see also scratching).
6. (billiards) To commit a foul in pool, as where the cue ball is put into a pocket or jumps off the table.

7. (billiards, dated, US) To score, not by skillful play but by some fortunate chance of the game.
8. To write or draw hastily or awkwardly; scrawl.
9. (transitive, intransitive) To dig or excavate with the claws.

10. To dig or scrape (a person's skin) with claws or fingernails in self-defense or with the intention to injure.

Synonyms

• scrattle

Derived terms

Translations

Noun

scratch (countable and uncountable, plural scratches)

1. A disruption, mark or shallow cut on a surface made by scratching.
   • 1677-1684, Joseph Moxon, Mechanick Exercises

     The coarse file […] makes deep scratches in the work.

   • 1709, Matthew Prior, Henry and Emma, line 503

     These nails with scratches deform my breast.
2. An act of scratching the skin to alleviate an itch or irritation.

3. (sports)
   1. A starting line (originally and simply, a line scratched in the ground), as in boxing.

      (Can we find and add a quotation of Grose to this entry?)

   2. A technical error of touching or surpassing the starting mark prior to the official start signal in the sporting events of long jump, discus, hammer throw, shot put, and similar. Originally the starting mark was a scratch on the ground but is now a board or precisely indicated mark.
   3. (cycling) The last riders to depart in a handicap race.
   4. (billiards) An aberration.
      1. A foul in pool, as where the cue ball is put into a pocket or jumps off the table.
      2. (archaic, US, slang) A shot which scores by chance and not as intended by the player; a fluke.
   5. (horse racing) A horse withdrawn from a race prior to the start.

4. (slang) Money.
   • 2006, Clive James, North Face of Soho, Picador 2007, p. 153:

     He and Bruce cooked up a script together, and Bruce flew home to raise the scratch.

5. A feed, usually a mixture of a few common grains, given to chickens.
6. (in the plural) 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.
   • 1887, James Law, The Farmer's Veterinary Adviser

     These are exemplified in the scurfy, scaly affections which appear in the bend of the knee (mallenders) and hock (sallenders) and on the lower parts of the limbs, by scratches, and by a scaly exfoliation […].

7. (now historical) A scratch wig.
   • 1775, Frances Burney, Journals & Letters, Penguin 2001, 26 March:

     [H]e turned to him with a dejected Face, and said ‘ – pray Sir, – could you touch up This a little?’ taking hold of his frightful scratch.

8. (music) A genre of Virgin Islander music, better known as fungi.

Synonyms

• (Virgin Islander music): fungi, quelbe

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

scratch (not comparable)

1. For or consisting of preliminary or tentative, incomplete, etc. work.

2. Hastily assembled, arranged or constructed, from whatever materials are to hand, with little or no preparation
   • 1988, James McPherson, Battle Cry of Freedom, Oxford 2004, p. 740:

     Bluecoats began crossing the James on June 14 and next day two corps approached Petersburg, which was held by Beauregard with a scratch force of 2,500.

3. (computing, from scratchpad) Relating to a data structure or recording medium attached to a machine for testing or temporary use.
4. (sports) (of a player) Of a standard high enough to play without a handicap, i.e. to compete without the benefit of a variation in scoring based on ability.

Derived terms

• scratch sheet

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “scratch”, in Online Etymology Dictionary
• The Jargon File - Scratch

French

Etymology

From English scratch.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sk?at?/

Noun

scratch m (plural scratchs)

1. Velcro

Synonyms

• velcro

Italian

Etymology

From English scratch.

Noun

scratch m (invariable)

1. (music) scratch

Spanish

Etymology

From English scratch.

Noun

scratch m (plural scratchs)

1. (music) scratch

English

Etymology

Onomatopoeic.

Pronunciation

• enPR: b?z, IPA^(key): /b?z/
• Hyphenation: buzz
• Rhymes: -?z

Noun

buzz (countable and uncountable, plural buzzes)

1. A continuous, humming noise, as of bees; a confused murmur, as of general conversation in low tones.
2. A whisper.
3. The audible friction of voice consonants.
4. (informal) A rush or feeling of energy or excitement; a feeling of slight intoxication.

   Still feeling the buzz from the coffee, he pushed through the last of the homework.

5. (informal) A telephone call or e-mail.
6. (informal) Major topic of conversation; widespread rumor; information spread behind the scenes.
   • 2006 Sept. 6, Daren Fonda, "Ford Motor's New Chief: "I Think It's a Tough Situation"," Time:

     In Detroit, the buzz is that he's too nice a guy, unwilling to impose draconian job cuts at the risk of angering the UAW.

   • 2011 Allen Gregory, "Pilot" (season 1, episode 1):

     Allen Gregory DeLongpre: Who's he?

     Patrick: He's only the most popular kid in school.

     Allen Gregory: Ah, the two heavyweights finally meet. Sure you're tired of all the buzz. Allen Gregory DeLongpre.

     Joel Zadak: Joel...Zadak!

Translations

Verb

buzz (third-person singular simple present buzzes, present participle buzzing, simple past and past participle buzzed)

1. (intransitive) To make a low, continuous, humming or sibilant sound, like that made by bees with their wings.
   • 1855, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Song of Hiawatha

     Like a wasp it buzzed, and stung him.

   • 1922, D. H. Lawrence, Fantasia of the Unconscious, ch. 2:

     So that now the universe has escaped from the pin which was pushed through it, like an impaled fly vainly buzzing, […] we can hope also to escape.

   1. (by extension) To utter a murmuring sound; to speak with a low, humming voice.
   2. Of a group of people, to talk about some interesting topic excitedly.
   3. (chiefly of an insect) To fly while making such a sound.
      • 1897, Bram Stoker, Dracula, ch. 20:

        The flies, lethargic with the autumn, were beginning to buzz into the room.

2. (colloquial) To show a high level of activity and haste, energization or excitement, to be busy as a bee in one’s actions but perhaps mentally charged.
3. (transitive) To whisper; to communicate, as tales, in an undertone; to spread, as a report, by whispers or secretly.
4. (transitive) To talk to incessantly or confidentially in a low humming voice.
5. (aviation) To fly at high speed and at a very low altitude over a specified area, as to make a surprise pass.
   • 2013, The Economist, Stopping asteroid strikes: Defenders of the Earth

     […] an asteroid a mere 15-20 metres across exploded with the force of a medium-sized atom bomb over Chelyabinsk, in Russia, and another, much larger one buzzed Earth a few hours later.

6. (transitive) To cut the hair in a close-cropped military style, or buzzcut.
   • 2012, Ellen Hartman, Out of Bounds (page 130)

     Deacon said, “You used to beg me to let you buzz your hair when you were little.” “And then I grew up and realized how awful you looked when you buzzed yours.”

7. (archaic, transitive) To drink to the bottom.
   • 1849, The New Monthly Magazine and Universal Register

     He buzzed the bottle with such a hearty good will as settled the fate of another, which Soapey rang for as a matter of course. There was but the rejected one, which however Spigot put into a different decanter and brought in […]

8. (transitive) To communicate with (a person) by means of a buzzer.
   • 2012, Steven Joseph Sinopoli, The Seventh House (page 66)

     Then one day my secretary buzzed me and said Frank Sinatra was on the phone. When I picked up the phone it was the Chief who played dumb and would not admit that he said he was Frank Sinatra.

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:buzz.

Translations

Derived terms

• abuzz
• buzzword

Related terms

• buzz cut
• buzz saw

Further reading

• buzz on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

French

Etymology

From English buzz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bøz/, /byz/

Noun

buzz m (uncountable)

1. buzz (excitement)