Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

up to scratch

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.16 in modern English

Syllables
up- -to scratch
IPA
20
Scrabble Score
11
Letters
3
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

sufficient; adequate; of acceptable or satisfactory quality

Example Sentences

Etymology

From scratch in the sense of a starting line, as in boxing.

Inflected Forms

more up to scratch (comparative) most up to scratch (superlative)

Phrases

toe the line

Frequently Paired Words

toe the line cut the mustard make the grade pass muster up to par up to snuff

Questions

What does up to scratch mean?
sufficient; adequate; of acceptable or satisfactory quality
Where does up to scratch come from?
From scratch in the sense of a starting line, as in boxing.

How to pronounce up to scratch

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “up to scratch”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “up to scratch”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “up to scratch” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.