itch

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   To have an uncomfortable feeling on the skin that makes you want to scratch

   My arm itches where the mosquito bit me.

2. 2
   verb

   To have a strong desire to do something

   The children were itching to open their presents.

3. 3
   noun

   An uncomfortable feeling on the skin that makes you want to scratch

   I have an itch on my back that I can't reach.

4. 4
   noun

   A strong desire to do something

   He felt an itch to travel and see the world.

From Middle English icchen, ȝicchen, from Old English ġiċċan, ġyċċan (“to itch”), from Proto-West Germanic *jukkjan (“to itch”), of unknown origin. Cognate with Scots yeuk (“to itch”), West Frisian jûkje (“to itch”), Dutch jeuken (“to itch”), Low German jocken (“to itch”), German jucken (“to itch”).

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