"scratch-off" - Word of the Day from the OED

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scratch-off, n. and adj.

DRAFT ENTRY Sept. 2007

Brit. /skratf/, U.S. /skrætf/, /skrætf/  [< SCRATCH v. + OFF adv.] 

    A. n.

    1. U.S. slang. Prob.: a rapid acceleration of a vehicle from a stationary position. Cf. SCRATCH v. 5c. rare.

1964 Burlington (N. Carolina) 5 Mar. 8A/1 Speeding,..lightning scratch-offs, highway racing and little-boy road tactics are for ‘dumb bunnies’. 1965 Florence (S. Carolina) Morning News 4 Nov. 15A/4 The son can have a very distinctive car which doesn't distinguish itself with speed and scratch-offs.

    2. orig. U.S. A scratch-off lottery ticket or game (see sense B.).

1985 Newsweek 2 Sept. 19/2 California Jackpot, a scratch-off paying up to $5,000 for a winning $1 ticket. 1993 Capital (Annapolis, Maryland) 18 Dec. 1/1 There were more than $20 million in sales of all lottery games, including..keno, Lotto and scratch-offs. 2000 T. BARKER Jokers Wild vii. 81 Scratch-offs can be easily distributed to retailers, and they are quick and easy to play. 2004 Belfast News Let. (Nexis) 7 Jan. 12 She bought..five Double Doubler scratch offs, pop and a bag of chips.

    B. adj.    orig. U.S. Designating or involving a type of card or ticket, used esp. in lotteries, having a section coated with a waxy substance which may be scratched away to reveal hidden information such as whether a prize has been won; (also) designating the coated section of such a card. Cf. scratch card n. at SCRATCH n.¹ Additions.

1976 N.Y. Times 29 Dec. 29/5 New York State..[has] hopes of selling more..$1 scratch-off tickets than the first instant lottery game. 1990 Toronto Star (Nexis) 30 July B3 It also supplies scratch-off tickets to retailers such as McDonald's and Shell Oil. 1992 News Jrnl. (Wilmington, Delaware) 18 Aug. B3/1 Hidden under the scratch-off area are five coin amounts If they add up to more than $1, the player wins. 2005 S. CNOSSEN Theory & Pract. Excise Taxation iv. 86 Specific lottery products, including instant scratch-off games..and football pools. 2006 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 23 Apr. IV. 10/2 The card contains a scratch-off section with a registration number that the user types into a personal computer for access to the book.

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