Have you seen the expression 'start from scratch' and would like to know more about what it means and how to use it right? The phrase 'start from scratch' is a common English saying that implies a start from the beginning, or a start with nothing. This post examines the meaning and origin of the phrase.
Meaning
The saying 'start from scratch' is a common figurative English saying.
When someone says that they should 'start from scratch' it implies a start from the beginning, or a start from nothing.
The phrase can be used to say that someone has to (or is going to) 'start from scratch', or the phrase can be used in the present tense to say that someone is 'starting from scratch'.
If the saying is used in the past tense, then it can be said that someone 'started from scratch' or 'has started from scratch'.
The phrase can reference a start from the beginning of something, or a restart with nothing left.
'[To] start from scratch' implies that someone is beginning again at a disadvantage.
The phrase 'to start from scratch' can also be used to imply that someone began with nothing, much like the saying 'rags to riches'. When it is used as a media reference, it often appears in this way.
Context of what 'starting from scratch' implies is often stated by the rest of what the speaker is being said.
Example Usage
“When my father got divorced, he took his toaster oven and his sofa bed and started from scratch. Today he's the CEO of a very successful company, and he can buy his own toaster oven any time he likes.”
“If you think that you've lost everything, the best thing you can do is to start from scratch. Pick yourself up again. Do something good.”
“If I lose this file, then I'm going to have to start the whole thing from scratch.”
“He started his company from scratch, and built it to be one of the most successful international creators of bunny ears and rubber suits. You won't believe how many people want to order these things for their corporate parties!”
Origin
The phrase 'start from scratch' and its derivatives are agreed to originate from sport, although online etymology resources are divided about which sport the phrase might have come from first.
Some resources state that the term 'start from scratch' had its beginnings in horse racing, where the 'scratch' would be the starting line for the race.
Other resources state that the term 'start from scratch' is likely to have come from cricket terms, where the line on the field is called the 'scratch line'.
The phrase would remain popular throughout the 1900s and 2010s, with its figurative meaning staying the same.
The phrase was included on the website Urban Dictionary in 2009, even though early use of the phrase is seen as early as the 1700s.
Phrases Similar to Start From Scratch
- Start from zero
- Start with nothing
Phrases Opposite to Start From Scratch
- N/a
What is the Correct Saying?
- [to] start from scratch
- Starting from scratch
- Started from scratch
Ways People May Say Start From Scratch Incorrectly
There are several ways in which someone can use the phrase 'starting from scratch' in the wrong way, or misunderstand the meaning of the saying.
To 'start from scratch' implies that someone starts again with something, often at a worse disadvantage when they were at the first attempt.
The phrase originated in English, and might cause confusion if it is directly translated into languages that have no equivalent for the saying.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Start From Scratch
The correct way to use the phrase 'start from scratch' is to use it as a phrase that implies a new beginning, one at a disadvantage that the first beginning did not have.