up to scratch

at an acceptable standard or quality We're giving him a week to bring the team up to scratch.

Usage notes: often used in the form not up to scratch: I'm afraid your last essay wasn't up to scratch.

Related vocabulary: on a par with somebody/something

up to scratch

and up to snuff

mod. satisfactory; up to what is expected. (Colloquial. Snuff is related in some way to tobacco. Scratch may allude to the starting or finish line in a contest.) We felt that the entertainment was not up to scratch. The food was up to snuff, but the hotel staff was not at its usually efficient best.

See also: scratch, up

up to scratch

Informal

1. Meeting the requirements.

2. In fit condition.

See also: scratch, up

up to scratch

Meets the standards. In the days of bare-knuckle fighting, bouts took place within a large circle drawn on the bare ground (that's where the phrase “boxing ring” came from). The contest began with the fighters facing off while standing on either side of a line scratched on the dirt in the middle of the ring. A fighter who was physically and mentally ready to take part stood at the line and was, therefore, up to scratch. “Up to snuff ” has much the same meaning. Powdered tobacco was said to sharpen the user's mind, so if you were up to snuff, you were mentally and also physically ready to go.

See also: scratch, up

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Tomasa	to-MAH-sah	Spanish
MÁEl MÁEdÓC	-	Ancient Irish
Apolonia	ah-paw-LAWN-yah (Polish)	Spanish, Polish
Panfilo	-	Italian
Siani	-	Welsh
Talaat	-	Arabic