itch

Related to itch: jock itch, winter itch

(as) busy as a one-armed paperhanger (with an itch)

Constantly busy, active, or occupied (with something). I'm currently choreographing three plays, so I'm busy as one-armed paperhanger. Can we meet next week instead? I'm just as busy as a one-armed paperhanger with an itch right now.
See also: busy, paperhanger

(one's) fingers itch

One is eager to begin or undertake some work or task that involves one's hands. Here are nine awesome do-it-yourself projects that will make your fingers itch! I finally took a two-week vacation, but as soon as we began to rest, I could feel my fingers itching to do something—anything—productive.
See also: finger, itch

an itching palm

What one is said to have when they need or want a tip or bribe. A: "I can't believe that guy at the desk actually answered all of your questions!" B: "Ah, he just had an itching palm—a little money made him more inclined to talk."
See also: itch, palm

get an/the itch for (something)

To become interested in or desirous of something. I've got the itch for another road trip, but I'm not sure where to go. I know she says she's given up acting, but I'm sure she'll get an itch for it sooner than later.
See also: get, itch

get an/the itch to (do something)

To become interested in or desirous of something. I've got the itch to go on another road trip, but I'm not sure where to go. I know she says she's given up acting, but I'm sure she'll get an itch to do it again sooner than later.
See also: get, itch

give (someone) an/the itch for (something)

To cause someone to have an interest in or desire to do something. With all your talk of your trip to Sedona, you've really given me the itch for another road trip. Seeing that play gave me an itch for acting again.
See also: give, itch

give (someone) an/the itch to (do something)

To cause someone to have an interest in or desire to do something. With all your talk of your trip to Sedona, you've really given me the itch to go on another road trip. Seeing that play gave me an itch to act again.
See also: give, itch

have an itch for (something)

To have an interest in or desire to do something. I have an itch for another road trip, but I'm not sure where to go. If you're starting to have an itch for acting again, then you should get back on stage.
See also: have, itch

have an/the itch to (do something)

To have an interest in or desire to do something. I have the itch for another road trip—when should we go? If you have an itch to act again, then you should get back on stage.
See also: have, itch

itch for (something)

1. verb To have an interest in or desire to do something. I'm itching for another road trip, but I'm not sure where to go. If you're itching for the spotlight again, then you should get back on stage.
2. noun An interest in or desire to do something. I have an itch for another road trip, but I'm not sure where to go. If you're starting to have an itch for acting again, then you should get back on stage.
See also: itch

itch to (do something)

To have an interest in or desire to do something. I'm itching for another road trip—when should we go? If you're itching to act again, then you should get back on stage.
See also: itch

make (one's) teeth itch

1. To greatly irritate or annoy one, especially to the point of affecting their nerves. Nothing makes my teeth itch like seeing these cyclists run every red light in town! I don't know what it is about Terry, but there's something about his demeanor that just makes my teeth itch!
2. To cause one to be especially upset, nervous, or uncomfortable. Please don't tell me about your surgery—it makes my teeth itch hearing about blood and gore.
See also: itch, make, teeth

the seven-year itch

The supposed inclination of a person, typically a man, to begin longing for sexual relations with other people after seven years of marriage. Everyone warned me about the seven-year itch, but I've been completely content with my wife every second that we've been together. A: "I heard Jack has been having an affair with a bartender from across town." B: "Hmm, sounds like the seven-year itch to me."
See also: itch
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

*itch for something

a desire for something. (*Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~.) l have an itch for some ice cream. We had an itch for a good movie, so we went.
See also: itch

itch for something

Fig. to desire something. I'm just itching for a visit from Amy. We are itching for some chocolate.
See also: itch

*itch to do something

Fig. a desire to do something. (*Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~.) I have an itch to see a movie tonight. Tom has an itch to go swimming.
See also: itch

*itchy palm

 and *itching palm
Fig. [of a hand] in need of a tip. (As if placing money in the palm would stop the itching. *Typically: get ~; have ~; give someone ~.) All the waiters at that restaurant have itchy palms. The cabdriver was troubled by an itching palm. Since he refused to carry my bags, I gave him nothing. Whenever he sees expensive luggage, the hotel doorman gets an itching palm.
See also: itchy, palm

seven-year itch

a real or imagined longing for other women in a man's seventh year of marriage. Looks like Jack has the seven-year itch. The seven-year itch is just a rumor.
See also: itch
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

itch for, have an

Also, itch to. Have a persistent restless craving for, as in Dean has an itch for excitement, or Chris is itching to go around the world. [Late 1500s]
See also: have, itch

itchy palm

Also, itching palm. A desire for money, greed; also, wanting a bribe. For example, The porter has an itchy palm; he wants a big tip, or The mayor was known for his itchy palm. This expression alludes to placing money in the palm of the hand. [Late 1500s]
See also: itchy, palm
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

your fingers itch

you are longing or impatient to do something.
1998 Patchwork & Quilting There's a good gallery towards the end of the book and it will make your fingers itch to get started.
See also: finger, itch

an itching palm

an avaricious or greedy nature.
1937 Wyndham Lewis The Revenge for Love Had Alvaro been bribed? Had such a man an itching palm like the rest of them?
See also: itch, palm
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

the seven year ˈitch

(informal) the wish for a new sexual partner because you are bored with your husband or wife: He’s started looking at all the women in the office. It must be the seven year itch.
See also: itch, seven, year
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

have an itch for something

tv. to have a desire for something. (Have got can replace have.) We had an itch for a good movie, so we went.
See also: have, itch, something

seven-year itch

n. a real or imagined longing for other women in a man’s seventh year of marriage. Looks like Jack has the seven-year itch.
See also: itch
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions

finger itches to, one's/my

I am (one is) extremely eager to do something. The use of “itch” for “desire” is almost as old as the desire to scratch something that itches. “Our fingers wyll itch at hym,” wrote John Stubbs (The Discoverie of a Gaping Gulf, 1579), and soon afterward Shakespeare wrote, “If I see a word out, my finger itches to make one” (The Merry Wives of Windsor, 1601, 2.3). Considerably later came Charles Kingsley with his “The men’s fingers are itching for a fight” (Hypatia, 1853), which subsequently was shortened to itching for a fight. See also itchy palm.
See also: finger, itch

seven-year itch

A yearning for change, specifically a change of sexual partner after seven years of marriage. This expression gained currency through George Axelrod’s play The Seven-Year Itch (1952), later made into a movie starring Marilyn Monroe (1955). Originally the phrase was used for various skin conditions. One such use was for poison ivy, in the belief that the rash would recur every year for seven years. Also, centuries ago itch was a slang word for “sexual desire.” Today, the expression invariably refers to the wish for a new sexual partner and, for some reason, tends to be applied only to men. Thus Patricia Moyes wrote, “There’s something called the seven-year itch . . . middle-aged men quite suddenly cutting loose” (Angel of Death, 1980).
See also: itch
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer
See also:
  • (as) busy as a one-armed paperhanger (with an itch)
  • hanger
  • paperhanger
  • popcorn
  • (as) busy as popcorn on a skillet
  • a busy bee
  • busy bee
  • (as) busy as a bee
  • as busy as a bee
  • be (as) busy as a bee
References in periodicals archive
'By applying it in the skin in a very directed fashion we can selectively ablate the neurons which are causing the itch - much like performing microsurgery using light.'
Itching can be stopped by shining light on the skin -Scientists
To test whether NPPB was involved in itch signaling to the spinal cord, Mishra and his team used IL-31 to trigger itchiness in mice.
How to beat eczema itch?
Itch severity was assessed as described by Oaklander et al., with a score on the itch-intensity assessment scale between 1 and 3 points representing a grade of "mild," a score between 4 and 7 points representing a grade of "moderate," and a score of 8 points or greater representing a grade of "severe" [3].
Investigation of the Correlation between Postherpetic Itch and Neuropathic Pain over Time
Demodex Species Infestation in Patients with Ear Itching and Its Relationship to Itch Severity.
Demodex Species Infestation in Patients with Ear Itching and Its Relationship to Itch Severity / Kulak Kasintisi Olan Hastalarda Demodex Turlerinin Varligi ve Kasinma Siddeti Ile iliskisi
TriCalm effectively reduced peak itch intensity by about 3 points on a visual analog scale--a 41% reduction.
Strontium, ketamine target troublesome itch
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether healthy participants focus their attention at or away from the tonic itch and pain stimulus location.
Do Tonic Itch and Pain Stimuli Draw Attention towards Their Location?
But the mice appeared normal in other ways: They responded to pain and itchy chemicals in the same way normal mice do, suggesting the body has a dedicated, specific way of detecting mechanical itch, Ma says.
Nerve cells could block urge to scratch: neurons in spinal cord may curb itch caused by light tap on skin
The finding, in mice, suggests the old wives' tale about resisting the urge to scratch an itch has a scientific basis.
Scratching really does make it worse
Scientists have known for decades that scratching creates a mild amount of pain in the skin, said senior investigator Zhou-Feng Chen, PhD, director of Washington University's Center for the Study of Itch. That pain can interfere with itching -- at least temporarily -- by getting nerve cells in the spinal cord to carry pain signals to the brain instead of itch signals.
Why Scratching Makes You Itch More
These associations were even more significant in adolescents who reported eczema with itch, compared with those who had eczema without itch.
Eczema linked to increased suicidal thoughts in teens
Louis has even opened The Center for the Study of Itch, and they've made some surprising discoveries.
Sleuthing out the itch: Stress, cortisol and healing
Cold weather and a lack of fluid can also dry out skin, a problem called winter itch. A rise in body temperature after exercise may also cause itching as well as hives.
Ask the doc; Health
Living with Itch: A Patient's Guide provides a powerful coverage and comes from itch researchers and clinicians who consider the physiological events that cause itch.
Living with Itch
South Miami, FL, December 05, 2013 --(PR.com)-- An innovative new product designed to provide its users with a convenient manner of scratching a difficult to reach area, the Columbus Itch Scratcher, has been developed by Jim Columbus of Sarasota, Florida.
Innovation Direct[TM] Representing Columbus Itch Scratcher Invention to Potential Licensees
Patients with psychogenic itch predominantly are female, with average age of onset between 30 and 45 years.
Problematic pruritus: seeking a cure for psychogenic itch