close to scratch

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "close to scratch" is not a standard expression in English and may cause confusion.
It could be intended to convey something being nearly at a baseline or starting point, but it is not commonly used. Example: "After the renovations, the house is now close to scratch, but it still needs some finishing touches."

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Dr Venter's ambition to create a living organism from close to scratch began 15 years ago, and it has been public knowledge for a decade.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Her scalp was itchy beneath her weave, and this was the only way she could come close to scratching it.

The New Yorker

Football Practice A few column inches in the local newspaper doesn't come close to scratching the itch for the true college football fanatic, and the sports magazines don't stay focused on your team.

Forbes

To put that number in contextBBC Future Media bloggedlast year that if "every man, woman and child on Earth had a billion devices each with an IPv6 address, you haven't even come close to scratching the surface of the number of addresses available".

BBC

It's not even close to scratching the surface of what this city needs.

Los Angeles Times

They are mainly localised close to scratches caused by polishing and they appear to be flat and thin, since the underlying pattern remains visible.

Heritage Science

Us a closed pen to scratch your rosin until it is rough and gritty.

WikiHow

The only thing that came close to offering relief was to scratch.

The New Yorker

The first guy was scratching his hair really hard even though it was shorn close, like he was trying to scratch inside his head or something, and he just kept saying, "I was at John D. Rockefeller's funeral".

The New Yorker

From the desire to scratch their exploration itch, growth hackers are willing to get quite close to SPAM-land.

TechCrunch

The crystals appear smaller compared to glass M1 and are localized close to the scratches (Figure 3c).

Heritage Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "close to scratch", ensure the context clearly indicates a near-starting point or a return to basics. Since the phrase is not very common, consider whether a more common alternative would provide greater clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "close to scratch" when you mean 'from scratch'. The former implies nearness to the beginning, while the latter means starting completely anew.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "close to scratch" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to indicate a state of being near the starting point or a basic level. As explained by Ludwig AI, it's important to use the phrase carefully because is not a standard expression in English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Wiki

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "close to scratch" describes something nearly at its beginning or basic level. As clarified by Ludwig AI, the phrase is not a standard expression in English. Therefore, although grammatically acceptable, it may be less clear than alternatives like "nearly from the start" or "almost at ground zero". Its usage spans news, science and wiki content, indicating a neutral to informal register. When writing, ensure the context clearly reflects the intended meaning to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

close to ground zero

Similar to "close to scratch" but with a slightly different connotation, often implying a fresh start after a setback.

almost at square one

Implies restarting a process or activity from the very beginning due to failure or setbacks.

nearly from the start

Emphasizes the proximity to the initial stage of something.

almost from the beginning

Focuses on the nearness to the origin or commencement.

just starting out

Highlights the initial phase of development or activity.

virtually from zero

Indicates a level close to absolute nothingness or the starting point.

practically at the base level

Underlines that the state is nearly at the most fundamental stage.

in the early stages

Highlights being at the beginning period of development.

at the preliminary stage

Focuses on being in the initial or preparatory phase.

nearing the foundation

Indicates a point close to the structural base or beginning.

FAQs

What does "close to scratch" mean?

The phrase "close to scratch" means nearly starting from the very beginning or being at a basic level. It suggests that something is almost in its initial, untouched state but might have had some prior development.

What can I say instead of "close to scratch"?

You can use alternatives like "nearly from the start", "almost from the beginning", or "close to ground zero" depending on the context.

Is "close to scratch" grammatically correct?

While not incorrect, "close to scratch" is not a standard idiom. Alternatives may provide more clarity. Ludwig AI considers that the phrase is not a standard expression in English.

How is "close to scratch" different from "from scratch"?

"Close to scratch" implies nearly starting from the beginning, while "from scratch" means starting completely from zero. The former suggests some minimal prior work, while the latter indicates a completely new beginning.