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from scratch
/frɒm skrætʃ/
starting from the very beginning
She decided to build her business from scratch.
She started her business without any prior resources or foundation.
informal
Starting from the beginning with no prior resources or foundation
After the fire, they had to rebuild their home from scratch.
They had to start the construction of their home again with no existing structure.
He learned programming from scratch.
He started learning programming with no prior knowledge.
This phrase is often used to emphasize starting something new without any prior advantages or resources.
Collocations
build from scratchto create something entirely new without using existing materials or resourceslearn from scratchto learn something from the very beginning with no prior knowledge
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Usage in Business
In business contexts, 'from scratch' is often used to describe starting a new venture or project without any prior resources or advantages.
Usage in Learning
In educational contexts, 'from scratch' is used to describe learning something new without any prior knowledge or experience.
Gold Rule
Avoid Overuse
While 'from scratch' is a useful phrase, avoid overusing it in formal writing. Use synonyms like 'from the ground up' or 'from nothing' to vary your language.
Word Origin
The phrase 'from scratch' likely originates from cooking, where 'scratch' refers to the starting point of a recipe. It has been used metaphorically to mean starting from the very beginning in various contexts.
Usage Notes
This phrase is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe starting something new without any prior advantages or resources.
Word Breakdown
from
starting point
prepositionscratch
the very beginning
nounEnglish Dictionary