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chicken scratch
[ chik-uhn skrach ]
noun
- handwriting of words or symbols that is too messy or roughly drawn to be easily read:
They need precise specs for the remodeling, but these drawings and dimensions are just chicken scratch.
Milo left us a note, but can anyone figure out his chicken scratch?
- a scratchlike mark, often an element of illegible writing:
I had no idea these chicken-scratches were actually the artist’s signature.
That chicken scratch was accidentally made by a utility knife when she was scoring a piece of leather.
- supplemental, relatively inexpensive food for chickens, typically cracked corn and grains scattered on the ground for the chickens to scratch through as they eat it.
- Informal. something of minimal or deficient value, such as an amount of money that is far less than what would be considered reasonable:
It’s an exposé of those laboring under atrocious conditions for chicken scratch.
verb (used with object)
- to handwrite (something) in a manner that is too messy to be easily read:
I start out being neat with my note-taking, but then I lapse into chicken-scratching everything the teacher says.
verb (used without object)
- to produce handwriting that is too messy to be easily read:
She chicken-scratches like that on purpose so nobody can read it.
Sometimes you wanna do calligraphy, sometimes you wanna chicken scratch.
Word History and Origins
Origin of chicken scratch1
Example Sentences
I use chicken scratch feed bags mostly as these are a nice size, and ties a string near the top of the bag.
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