Up to Scratch 🏅
Up to scratch - An adequate or acceptable level of performance; satisfactory. The term “scratch” comes from sports, especially early 19th-century boxing. Boxers had to reach the ‘scratch’ mark in the ring to continue the fight, otherwise, they were considered defeated. William Hazlitt’s 1822 essay and George Orwell’s 1934 novel Burmese Days both referenced coming up to scratch to signify being ready or sufficient.
Related Terms & Expressions:
- Meeting expectations
- Hitting the mark
- Up to par
- Passing muster
Common Phrases:
- Cutting the mustard 🌭 - Being adequate enough.
- On the ball 🏀 - Being alert and efficient.
Similar Idioms:
- Measure up📏 - To meet a certain standard.
- Rise to the occasion 📈 - To perform well in a difficult situation.
📝 Here’s some witticism for you:
“If life knocks you down, come up to scratch with a witty comeback!”
Proverbs and Quotes
- Proverb: “You’re only as good as the last scratch you come up to.”
- Quotes: “Life is indeed a boxing match. Defeat is declared not when you fall, but when you refuse to ‘come up to scratch’.” - Fictitious author, Punchy Wordfully
📚 Recommended Reads:
- Burmese Days by George Orwell
- The Sweet Science by A. J. Liebling
🎵 Listen to:
- Eye of the Tiger by Survivor 🐅 - A song about fighting spirit and rising to challenges.
- We Will Rock You by Queen 🏆
🎬 Watch:
- Rocky (1976) 🎥 - A film about an underdog boxer fighting to prove he’s up to scratch.
Quizzes & Trivia
### Which of these phrases mean adequate or satisfactory?
- [x] Up to scratch
- [ ] Down to the dust
- [ ] In the chicken coop
- [ ] Over the river and through the woods
> **Explanation:** "Up to scratch" means being adequate or hitting the required standard. The others are just whimsical phrase play.
### In early boxing, what did the "scratch" refer to?
- [x] A mark scratched in the center of the ring
- [ ] The coat worn by spectators
- [ ] A specific type of punch
- [ ] The time of day the match starts
> **Explanation:** The "scratch" was a mark in the center of the ring that a fighter needed to reach.
### Which literary figure used "come up to scratch" in his works?
- [ ] J.K. Rowling
- [x] George Orwell
- [ ] J.D. Salinger
- [ ] F. Scott Fitzgerald
> **Explanation:** George Orwell used "come up to scratch" in his novel *Burmese Days*.
Farewell thought: “In the grand arena of life, always aim to come up to scratch with your best self. Keep striving, keep lifting those gloves.” ☀️
— Lexi Fanciful, 2023
