from scratch

Idioms and Phrases

From the very beginning, from the outset; from nothing. For example, I knew we'd have a problem from scratch . Similarly, to start from scratch means “to start from the very beginning,” as in After the business failed, they decided to reorganize and start from scratch . This term comes from racing, where a competitor starts from the line scratched into the ground (whereas others may start ahead with a handicap). [Mid-1800s] Also see from the ground up ; from the word go .