scratch pad

noun
1.
a pad of paper used for jotting down ideas, informal notes, preliminary writing, etc.
Origin of scratch pad
1890-95, Americanism
Examples from the Web for scratch pad
Historical Examples
  • Pulling toward him a scratch pad he picked up a pencil from the table before him and proceeded to make a rapid sketch.

  • I'll help, and maybe our old friend the scratch pad will help too.

    Half-Hours with Jimmieboy John Kendrick Bangs
  • Mr. Hatfield paused at the table to study the scratch pad on which the boy had been writing.

  • Andy caught up a stub of pencil and a scratch pad and began to figure.

    Swamp Cat James Arthur Kjelgaard
  • Ruth drew a scratch pad to her and scribbled rapidly for a couple of minutes.

    Ruth Fielding Down East Alice B. Emerson
  • Each of them was printed by hand on a sheet of cheap lined paper torn from a scratch pad.

    Crooked Trails and Straight William MacLeod Raine
  • The geneticist, Piccione, drew symbols on a scratch pad and stared blankly at the wall.

    Contamination Crew Alan Edward Nourse
  • Rather clever, to be tossed off on a scratch pad while taking a shower-bath, eh?

    Peeps at People John Kendrick Bangs
  • Brion wrote the number on a scratch pad and slid it over to the operator.

    Planet of the Damned Harry Harrison
  • The small desk at which he sat was littered with papers and he was steadily making notes upon a scratch pad.

    Local Color Irvin S. Cobb
British Dictionary definitions for scratch pad

scratch pad

noun
1.
(mainly US & Canadian) a notebook, esp one with detachable leaves
2.
(computing) a small semiconductor memory for temporary storage