Old Scratch

English

Etymology

Probably an alteration of scrat, from Middle English scrat, skratt, scratte, ultimately from Old Norse skratti.

Proper noun

Old Scratch

  1. (chiefly Midland US, Southern US) The Devil.[1]
    Synonyms: Old Nick, Old Serpent; see also Thesaurus:Satan

References
  1. “Old Scratch” in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016, →ISBN.
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