itch

Meaning

Noun

1. A sensation felt on an area of the skin that causes a person or animal to want to scratch said area.
2. A constant teasing desire or want.

Verb

1. (intransitive, stative) To feel itchy; to feel a need to be scratched.
2. (intransitive) To have a constant, teasing urge; to feel strongly motivated; to want or desire something.
3. (transitive) To cause to feel an itch.
4. (colloquial, transitive) To scratch or rub so as to relieve an itch.

Synonyms

scabies

tickle

itching

irritate

wish

scratch

itchy

scab

fancy

ardor

eagerness

ambition

desire

inclination

keenness

ardour

rash

be itchy

smart

itchiness

pruritus

feel itchy

be itching

sting

irritation

spoil

yearn

urge

tingle

ringworm

rub

lust

heat

sarcoptic mange

prickliness

long

eczema

herpes

psoriasis

small wound

itch to speak

yuke

make fire

ache

prurition

annoy

annoyance

braise

burn

crave

Translations

démanger

démangeaison

prurito

jucken

prudere

Jucken

picar

jeuk

Juckreiz

comezón

deseo

coceira

desejo

begeerte

jeuken

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɪt͡ʃ/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: icche

Inherited from Old English: ġiċċe

Cognate with Scots: yeuk

Cognate with Dutch: jeuk

Cognate with German: jucken

Inherited from Middle English: icchen

Inherited from Old English: ġiċċan

Cognate with Western Frisian: jûkje

Cognate with Dutch: jeuken

Cognate with Low German: jocken

In summary

From Middle English icche, ȝicche, from Old English ġiċċe (“an itch”), from Proto-Germanic *jukjǭ (“an itch”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Scots yeuk (“an itch, itchiness”), Dutch jeuk (“an itch”), German jucken.