- Meaning
- This idiom describes something or someone that meets the required standard, quality, or expectation, as if passing a test or reaching the ‘scratch’ mark in a contest. It conveys adequacy or competence, often used in professional, personal, or evaluative contexts to assess performance or suitability. The phrase carries a tone of approval, scrutiny, or conditional satisfaction, reflecting cultural emphasis on meeting benchmarks and the human need to prove capability. It resonates in situations requiring evaluation, capturing the effort to achieve or verify quality, and its sporting imagery adds a layer of historical competitiveness, evoking a starting line or test. The idiom often implies a baseline of acceptability, making it a practical metaphor for assessing readiness or worthiness.
- Origin
- The phrase originated in 18th-century Britain, rooted in sports like boxing or running, where a ‘scratch’ was a line drawn in the ground to mark the starting point or test of readiness, as noted in fight records. Its earliest recorded metaphorical use appears in a 1778 *The London Magazine* article: ‘Not up to scratch’ for subpar performance. The idiom gained traction in the 19th century, reflecting Victorian emphasis on standards, as seen in Charles Dickens’ *Bleak House* (1853), which uses it for competence. Its use grew in 20th-century British and American English, particularly in business and education, amplified by media like *The Times* during the 1920s’ quality debates. The phrase’s adoption in Commonwealth English came through British influence, and its spread was fueled by its vivid imagery, evoking a competitive mark, and its applicability to standards, ensuring its enduring use across English-speaking cultures, from job assessments to product reviews.
- Variants
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- Up to scratch
- Not up to scratch
- Up to the scratch
- Meet the scratch
- Examples
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- Her work is up to scratch, meeting all the project requirements.
- Not up to scratch, the prototype failed the quality tests.
- Up to the scratch, he proved his skills in the audition.
- Meet the scratch, and you’ll secure the contract.
- The new hire’s performance is up to scratch, impressing the team.
- Not up to scratch, their proposal lacked the necessary details.
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