Definition

1. Noun:

   • An irritating skin sensation that causes a desire to scratch: An unpleasant feeling on the skin that makes you want to rub or scratch it.
   • A strong, restless desire or urge: A powerful feeling of wanting to do or have something.
   • A contagious skin infection (scabies): A medical condition caused by mites, characterized by intense itching and skin irritation.

2. Verb (intransitive):

   • To feel an irritating skin sensation that causes a desire to scratch: To experience an itch.
   • To have a strong, restless desire: To feel a powerful urge to do something.

3. Verb (transitive):

   • To cause an itching sensation: To make someone's skin feel itchy.
   • To scrape or rub (a surface) as if to relieve an itch: To scratch or rub something lightly.

Examples

• Noun:

  • I have an itch on my back that I can't reach.
  • She has an itch to travel the world.
  • The doctor diagnosed him with the itch (scabies).

• Verb (intransitive):

  • My mosquito bite itches terribly.
  • He is itching to tell everyone the good news.

• Verb (transitive):

  • This wool sweater itches my neck.
  • The dog itched its ear against the door frame.

Advanced Usage

• "to have an itch for something": to have a strong desire for something.

  • He's always had an itch for adventure.

• "to itch to do something": to be very eager to do something.

  • The team was itching to get back on the field after their loss.

Variants and Related Words

• Itchy (adj): causing or having an itch.

  • This tag makes my shirt feel itchy.

• Itchiness (n): the state or condition of being itchy.

  • The rash caused severe itchiness.

Synonyms

• Noun (sensation): Tingling, prickling.
• Noun (desire): Craving, yearning, longing.
• Verb (to feel itchy): Tingle, prickle.
• Verb (to desire): Yearn, long, ache.

Related Phrasal Verbs/Constructions

• Itch for: to desire something strongly.
  • The audience was itching for the concert to begin.

Related Idioms

• "to scratch an itch": to satisfy a desire or need.

  • Reading a good mystery novel scratches my itch for a puzzle.

• "Seven-year itch": a supposed tendency to infidelity after seven years of marriage.

  • Their marriage survived the so-called seven-year itch.

Noun

1. an irritating cutaneous sensation that produces a desire to scratch
2. a strong restless desire
   • why this urge to travel?
3. a contagious skin infection caused by the itch mite; characterized by persistent itching and skin irritation
   • he has a bad case of the itch

Verb

1. have a strong desire or urge to do something
   • She is itching to start the project
   • He is spoiling for a fight
2. cause to perceive an itch
   • his skin itched
3. have or perceive an itch
   • I'm itching--the air is so dry!
4. scrape or rub as if to relieve itching
   • Don't scratch your insect bites!