itch
itch Lexical Profile
itch Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An uncomfortable, irritating sensation on the skin that provokes a desire to scratch.
"The mosquito bite left a persistent itch on her ankle for several days."
A restless, impatient, or strong desire to do something.
"After five years in the same office, he developed a sudden itch to travel abroad."
A contagious skin disease accompanied by intense irritation, especially scabies (usually preceded by "the").
"Outbreaks of the itch were common in overcrowdednineteenth-century tenements."
• verb
To feel or experience an irritating sensation on the skin that causes a desire to scratch.
"The coarse wool sweater made his neck itch throughout the entire ceremony."
To feel a restless, impatient desire or longing to do something.
"The young athletes were itching to get onto the field and start the championship game."
Word Nuance & Usage
In standard English, "itch" refers to the uncomfortable sensation on the skin, whereas "scratch" refers to the physical act of rubbing the skin to relieve it; using "itch" as a transitive verb meaning "to scratch" (e.g., "itch my arm") is widespread in casual speech but considered nonstandard.
• Rhymes for itch
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from Old English gicce (noun) and giccan (verb), meaning to feel an irritating sensation on the skin, from a Proto-Germanic root shared with German jucken.