Definition of itch verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

itch

verb

/ɪtʃ/

Verb Forms

present simple I / you / we / they itch	/ɪtʃ/ /ɪtʃ/
he / she / it itches	/ˈɪtʃɪz/ /ˈɪtʃɪz/
past simple itched	/ɪtʃt/ /ɪtʃt/
past participle itched	/ɪtʃt/ /ɪtʃt/
-ing form itching	/ˈɪtʃɪŋ/ /ˈɪtʃɪŋ/

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[intransitive] to have an uncomfortable feeling on your skin that makes you want to scratch (= rub your skin with your nails); to make your skin feel like this
- I itch all over.
- Does the rash itch?
- This sweater really itches.
Synonyms hurt
hurtache ▪ burn ▪ sting ▪ tingle ▪ itch ▪ throbThese are all words that can be used when part of your body feels painful.
hurt (of part of your body) to feel painful; (of an action) to cause pain:
My feet hurt.
Ouch! That hurt!
ache to feel a continuous pain that is not severe:
I’m aching all over.
burn (of part of your body) to feel very hot and painful:
Our eyes were burning from the chemicals in the air.
sting to make somebody feel a sharp burning pain or uncomfortable feeling in part of their body; (of part of your body) to feel this pain:
My eyes were stinging from the smoke.
tingle (of part of your body) to feel as if a lot of small sharp points are pushing into the skin there:
The cold air made her face tingle.
itch to have an uncomfortable feeling on your skin that makes you want to scratch; to make your skin feel like this:
I itch all over.
Does the rash itch?
throb (of part of your body) to feel pain as a series of regular beats:
His head throbbed painfully.
Patterns
- your eyes hurt/ache/burn/sting/itch
- your skin hurts/burns/stings/tingles/itches
- your flesh hurts/burns/stings/tingles
- your head hurts/aches/throbs
- your stomach hurts/aches
- to really hurt/ache/burn/sting/tingle/itch/throb
- to hurt/ache/sting/itch badly/a lot
- It hurts/stings/tingles/itches.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- terribly
- constantly
- positively
- …
verb + itch
- make somebody
preposition
- for
- with
See full entry
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[intransitive] (informal) (often used in the progressive tenses) to want to do something very much
- itch for something The crowd was itching for a fight.
- itch to do something He's itching to get back to work.
Extra Examples
- He was itching for a chance to show how good he was.
- Her fingers positively itched with the desire to slap his face.
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adverb
- terribly
- constantly
- positively
- …
verb + itch
- make somebody
preposition
- for
- with
See full entry

Word OriginOld English gycce (noun), gyccan (verb), of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch jeuk (noun) and Dutch jeuken, German jucken (verb).

See itch in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

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Idioms

the seven-year itch

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trait

noun

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