scab
B2Informal to formal depending on context (medical vs. labor dispute). Often derogatory in labor contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A crust that forms over a healing wound or sore; often connotationally negative.
1) A worker who refuses to join a strike or who replaces a striking worker; 2) A plant disease causing crusty spots; 3) Slang for a contemptible person.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a countable noun. In labor contexts, it is highly pejorative and emotionally charged. The medical sense is neutral.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use all meanings, but the labor union sense is particularly strong in industrial regions of both countries. The derogatory sense for a person is slightly more common in British informal speech.
Connotations
Identically negative in labor contexts. The medical term is standard in both.
Frequency
The labor sense is more frequent in news reporting during strikes. The medical sense is common in everyday and clinical language.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The wound began to SCAB over.The union accused him of SCABBING.The fruit was covered in SCAB.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “scab labor”
- “to scab over”
- “no scabs allowed”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Highly negative term for strike-breaking labor.
Academic
Neutral in medical/biological texts (e.g., 'wound scab', 'apple scab').
Everyday
Common for describing healing cuts; used pejoratively in discussions of work disputes.
Technical
In medicine: a crust of dead tissue and blood cells. In phytopathology: a plant disease.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- Don't pick that scab or it will scar.
- The miners called him a scab for working during the strike.
- There's a bit of scab on that potato.
American English
- A scab had formed over the scrape.
- The company hired scabs to keep the factory running.
- The apple tree has a fungal scab.
verb
British English
- The cut will scab over in a day or two.
- He was accused of scabbing when he took the job.
American English
- Make sure the wound scabs properly.
- They scabbed for lower wages, undermining the union.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I have a scab on my knee from falling down.
- If you pick the scab, it will take longer to heal.
- The union warned that anyone who scabbed during the strike would be ostracized.
- The use of scab labor during the dispute prolonged the negotiations and deepened hostilities.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CAB with a SCratch that forms a SCAB.
Conceptual Metaphor
A SCAB is a protective shield (positive) / A SCAB is a traitor or a disease (negative).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not to be confused with 'скабрёзный' (scabrous/indecent). The Russian medical equivalent is 'короста' or 'струп', but the labor term is specifically 'штрейкбрехер'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'scab' in a formal medical report instead of 'eschar'. Using the labor sense in a neutral context where it may cause offense.
Practice
Quiz
In a labor dispute context, what is a 'scab'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a standard, neutral term in medicine and biology. It becomes a serious insult only in the context of labor strikes.
Yes, meaning 'to become covered with a scab' or, informally, 'to act as a strikebreaker'.
'Blackleg' is a synonymous British term for a strikebreaker, often used in mining and industrial contexts. 'Scab' is more common in American English.
While understood, the more precise term 'eschar' is often preferred in clinical documentation for a thick, dry crust. 'Scab' is acceptable in patient communication.
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