411 REFERENCE · Wiktionary
Old Scratch
Reference material by Wiktionary contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
English
Etymology
Probably an alteration of en scrat, from en enm scrat, enm skratt, enm scratte, ultimately from en non skratti a type of demon.
Proper noun
Old Scratch
en chiefly Midland US Southern American English The Devil.
en Old Ned Old Nick Old Serpent Thesaurus:Satan
“Lisieux is a little town in Normandy,” she said. “I was there a few days with your father, one summer, long ago. It’s a country full of old stories, folklore, and traditions; and the people still believe in the Old Scratch pretty literally. ”
References
en Theology