a scratch race
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A race of horses, men, boys, etc., without restrictions as to age, weight, previous winnings, etc., who all start from scratch.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “a scratch race” mean?
A race of horses, men, boys, etc., without restrictions as to age, weight, previous winnings, etc., who all start from scratch.
Is “a scratch race” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.