A scab formed over a mosquito bite.
- The definition of a scab is a rough or crusty piece of skin, especially one that forms over a healing wound, or a worker who refuses to strike.
- An example of a scab is a crust over a cut.
- An example of a scab is a person who takes over the job of a worker who is striking against an employer.
- Scab is defined as for a crusty surface to form over a wound.
An example of scab is for a cut to begin to heal.
- a crust that forms over a sore or wound during healing
- a mangy skin disease, as scabies, of animals, esp. sheep
- any of various plant diseases characterized by roughened, scablike spots on leaves, stems, or fruits
- any such spot
- : usually a term of contempt or derision
- Slang a low, contemptible fellow; scoundrel
- ⌂ a worker who refuses to join a union, or who works for lower wages or under different conditions than those accepted by the union
- a worker who refuses to strike, or who takes the place of a striking worker
Origin of scabMiddle English scabbe ; from Old Norse skabb, akin to Old English sceabb ; from Indo-European base an unverified form (s)kep-, to cut, split from source Classical Latin scabies, scabies, scabere, to shave
- to become covered with a scab; form a scab
- ⌂ to work or act as a scab
- A crust discharged from and covering a healing wound.
- Scabies or mange in domestic animals or livestock, especially sheep.
- a. Any of various plant diseases caused by fungi or bacteria and resulting in crustlike spots on fruit, leaves, or roots.b. The spots caused by such a disease.
- Slang A person regarded as contemptible.
- a. A worker who refuses membership in a labor union.b. An employee who works while others are on strike; a strikebreaker.c. A person hired to replace a striking worker.
intransitive verbscabbed, scab·bing, scabs
- To become covered with scabs or a scab.
- To work or take a job as a scab.
Origin of scabMiddle English, from Old Norse skabb.
- An incrustation over a sore, wound, vesicle, or pustule, formed during healing.
- The mange, especially when it appears on sheep.
- Any of several different diseases of potatoes producing pits and other damage on their surface, caused by streptomyces bacteria (but formerly believed to be caused by a fungus).
- Common scab, a relatively harmless variety of scab (potato disease) caused by Streptomyces scabies.
- (botany) Any one of various more or less destructive fungal diseases that attack cultivated plants, forming dark-colored crustlike spots.
- (founding) A slight irregular protuberance which defaces the surface of a casting, caused by the breaking away of a part of the mold.
- A mean, dirty, paltry fellow.
- (slang) A worker who acts against trade union policies, especially a strikebreaker.
(third-person singular simple present scabs, present participle scabbing, simple past and past participle scabbed)
- (intransitive) To become covered by a scab or scabs.
- (intransitive) To form into scabs and be shed, as damaged or diseased skin.
- To remove part of a surface (from).
- (intransitive) To act as a strikebreaker.
- (UK, Australia, New Zealand, informal) To beg (f), to cadge or bum.
- I scabbed some money off a friend.
From Old English sceabb, Old Norse skabb, Latin scabies (“scab, itch, mange.") Cognate with Old English scafan, Latin scabere (“to scratch").