chicken scratch

Definitions

1. Chicken feed consisting of random mixed grains such as corn, wheat, barley, sorghum and milling by-products.
   countable, uncountable
2. Cramped or illegible handwriting.
   countable, idiomatic, informal, uncountable
3. A type of cross-stitch embroidery done on gingham fabric.
   countable, uncountable
4. A Tohono O'odham style of dance music derived from norteño.
   countable, uncountable
5. A type of dragging two-step performed to this.
   countable, uncountable

Equivalents

Examples

“A soft odor of chicken scratch⟳, mash, and manure always permeated the air when you approached. Attached to the chicken coop was a smokehouse that contained several smoked ham shoulders hanging from hooks.”

“The pencil in my hand was limp between my fingers and I couldn't focus⟳ on the chicken scratch⟳ on the pages. My breathing had become⟳ shallow and my heart was racing. I was in the midst of a full-blown panic attack.”

CEFR level