Link Centre Dictionary

scab

UK/skæb/ US/ˈskæb/ uncommon informal obsolete slang uk
verb (2) noun (2)

verb

1.

form a scab

  • “the wounds will eventually scab”
2.

take the place of work of someone on strike

Synonyms

noun

1.

someone who works (or provides workers) during a strike

Synonyms
2.

Origin

From Middle English scabb, scabbe (also as shabbe, schabbe > English shab), from Old English sċeabb and Old Norse skabb, both from Proto-Germanic *skabbaz (“scab, scabies”), from Proto-Indo-European *skabʰ- (“to cut, split, carve, shape”). Doublet of shab. Cognate with German Schabe (“scabies”), Danish skab (“scab, scabies”), Swedish skabb (“scab, scabies”), Latin scabies (“scab, itch, mange”). Related also to Old English scafan (“to scrape, shave”), Latin scabere (“to scratch”), English shabby.

Phrases

  • apple scab
  • crown scab
  • plum scab
  • powdery scab
  • scab duty
  • scab union

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

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Parts

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.