scratch the surface

Meaning

1. Oxford100% of films

   to deal with, understand, or find out about only a small part of a subject or problem

   They scratch the surface and never think

   And you're just starting to scratch the surface.

In the movies · 5

• I'm afraid your articles have just scratched the surface.All the President's Men1976
• They scratch the surface and never thinkAvengers: Age of Ultron2015
• And you're just starting to scratch the surface.X-Men: First Class2011
• You know, we're not even scratching the surface doing what we're doing.Sicario2015
• And yet, we've only just scratched the surface.Dracula1958
• Well, I really wouldn't care to scratch your surface, Mr. Kralik because I know exactly what I'd find.The Shop Around the Corner1940
• You know, if you scratch under the surface here you'll find a proposal lying around.You Can't Take It with You1938

Learn it in full scenes

• All the President's Men1976
  • Police Arrest the Watergate Burglars
  • Woodward Traces the White House Call
  • Who Gets the Watergate Story
• The Shop Around the Corner1940
  • Morning Gossip at Matuschek's
  • The Anonymous Letter From Box 237
  • Matuschek's Singing Cigarette Box
• You Can't Take It with You1938
  • Kirby Plans the Munitions Monopoly
  • Poppins Becomes a Lily of the Field
  • A Day in the Sycamore House

From the same entry

• scratch your head
• you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours
• scratch about
• scratch out
• from scratch
• up to scratch