Advertisement

itch (n.)

"irritating tingling sensation in the skin," also "skin inflammation caused by a burrowing mite," Old English gicce, from giccan (v.) "to itch" (see itch (v.)). Sense of "restless desire" is first attested 1530s; itching in this sense is from mid-14c.

itch (v.)

Middle English icchen, from Old English giccan "to itch," from West Germanic *jukkjan (source also of Middle Dutch jöken "to itch," Old High German jucchen, German jucken). Figurative sense of "feel a provoking desire to do or get something" is from early 13c. Related: Itched; itching.

Others are reading

Advertisement
Definitions of itch from WordNet
1
itch (v.)
scrape or rub as if to relieve itching;
Synonyms: rub / scratch
itch (v.)
have or perceive an itch;
I'm itching--the air is so dry!
itch (v.)
cause to perceive an itch;
his skin itched
itch (v.)
have a strong desire or urge to do something;
She is itching to start the project
Synonyms: spoil
2
itch (n.)
a contagious skin infection caused by the itch mite; characterized by persistent itching and skin irritation;
he has a bad case of the itch
Synonyms: scabies
itch (n.)
a strong restless desire;
Synonyms: urge
itch (n.)
an irritating cutaneous sensation that produces a desire to scratch;
Synonyms: itchiness / itching
From wordnet.princeton.edu