scab
UK[skæb]US[skæb]
n
A hard, dry covering that forms over a cut or wound on the skin as it heals.
n
A worker who refuses to join a strike or who takes the place of a striking worker.
v
To become covered with a scab.
v
To act as a scab by refusing to join a strike or by taking a striker's job.
Etymology
The word 'scab' originates from the Old English 'sceabb', which itself is derived from the Old Norse 'skabb', meaning 'scab, itch'. Both these Germanic terms are related to the Proto-Germanic 'skab-', a root associated with scraping or scratching. This etymological journey connects the physical concept of a hardened, crusty covering on the skin directly to the action that might cause such a wound. The derogatory sense of a 'strike-breaker' emerged in the late 18th century, employing the metaphor of a scab as something undesirable or a blemish on the solidarity of the workforce.
Analysis
The word is a simplex of Old English origin. It is not productively formed from separable morphemes in modern English.
Examples
Don't pick at the scab, or the cut will take longer to heal.
The union members called anyone who crossed the picket line a scab.
The wound will begin to scab over within a couple of days.