From scratch
adverb
Starting from the beginning, with no existing items or preparation.
She built her business from scratch, without any previous experience.
Often appears as...
- start from scratch
- make from scratch
adverb
Making something from basic ingredients or components, rather than using pre-made items.
She prefers to bake from scratch rather than using a mix.
Often appears as...
- bake from scratch
- cook from scratch
adverb
Starting from the beginning, with no existing items or preparation.
She built her business from scratch, without any previous experience.
Often appears as...
- start from scratch
- make from scratch
adverb
Making something from basic ingredients or components, rather than using pre-made items.
She prefers to bake from scratch rather than using a mix.
Often appears as...
- bake from scratch
- cook from scratch
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3New Beginnings
Used when something is being done for the first time or being restarted without prior progress.
After the fire, they had to rebuild their house from scratch.
Pro Tip 2/3No Shortcuts
Implies a process that does not rely on existing work or shortcuts; everything is done manually.
He programmed the entire app from scratch.
Pro Tip 3/3Hard Effort
Suggests significant effort because starting from zero can be more challenging.
Writing her thesis from scratch was a daunting task.
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