scab

scab
\ \ [13] Old English had a word sceabbscab’.
\ \ This survived into modern English as shab, a dialectal synonym of scab, but it is only represented in the mainstream language by its derivative shabby. It is its Old Norse relative skabbr, borrowed in the 13th century as scab, which has become the general English term for a ‘crust over a wound’. The derogatory sense ‘strike-breaker’ emerged in the 19th century from an earlier, 16th-century ‘despicable person’. The word comes ultimately from the Germanic base *skab- ‘scratch, shave’ (source also of English shave [OE]), which was descended from the same Indo-European base that produced Latin scabiēsitch’ (source of English scabies [14], scabious [14] – a plant so called because it was supposed to cure skin diseases – and scabrous [17]).
\ \ Cf.SCABIES, SHABBY, SHAVE

Word origins - 2ed. . 2005.

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  • scab — scab·bard·less; scab·bi·ly; scab·bi·ness; scab·ble; scab·bler; scab·bling; scab·by; scab·i·ci·dal; scab·i·cide; scab·ish; scab; scab·rid; scab·rin; scab·rous; scab·rous·ly; scab·rous·ness; scab·bard; …   English syllables

  • Scab — can refer to the following:* Coagulation, a clot of bodily fluids * Strikebreaker, person who works despite strike action or takes against will of employeesAnimal and plant diseases* Apple scab, a fungal infection of the apple * Fusarium head… …   Wikipedia

  • scab — n 1: a worker who refuses to join a labor union 2: a union member who refuses to strike or returns to work before a strike has ended 3: a worker who accepts employment or replaces a union worker during a strike: strike breaker 4: one who works… …   Law dictionary

  • scab — [skæb] noun [countable] an insulting word for someone who works when other people in the same factory, office etc are on strike * * * scab UK US /skæb/ noun [C] INFORMAL DISAPPROVING ► an insulting word for a person who continues working while… …   Financial and business terms

  • scab — (n.) mid 13c., skin disease, developed from O.E. sceabb scab, itch (related to scafan to scratch ) and from O.N. skabb scab, itch, both from P.Gmc. *skab scratch, shave (related to shabby). Sense reinforced by cognate L. scabies scab, itch, mange …   Etymology dictionary

  • scab — [skab] n. [ME scabbe < ON skabb, akin to OE sceabb < IE base * (s)kep , to cut, split > L scabies, SCABIES, scabere, to SHAVE] 1. a crust that forms over a sore or wound during healing 2. a mangy skin disease, as scabies, of animals, esp …   English World dictionary

  • scab´bi|ly — scab|by «SKAB ee», adjective, bi|er, bi|est. 1. covered with scabs. 2. consisting of scabs. 3. having the skin disease scab. 4. Informal, Figurative. low; …   Useful english dictionary

  • scab|by — «SKAB ee», adjective, bi|er, bi|est. 1. covered with scabs. 2. consisting of scabs. 3. having the skin disease scab. 4. Informal, Figurative. low; …   Useful english dictionary

  • Scab — Scab, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Scabbed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Scabbing}.] 1. To become covered with a scab; as, the wound scabbed over. [1913 Webster] 2. to take the place of a striking worker. [PJC] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Scab — (sk[a^]b), n. [OE. scab, scabbe, shabbe; cf. AS. sc[ae]b, sceabb, scebb, Dan. & Sw. skab, and also L. scabies, fr. scabere to scratch, akin to E. shave. See {Shave}, and cf. {Shab}, {Shabby}.] 1. An incrustation over a sore, wound, vesicle, or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • scab — ► NOUN 1) a dry, rough protective crust that forms over a cut or wound during healing. 2) mange or a similar skin disease in animals. 3) any of a number of fungal diseases of plants in which rough patches develop. 4) informal a person or thing… …   English terms dictionary

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