I. ˈskrāp verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English scrapen to scrape, erase, from Old Norse skrapa to scrape; akin to Old English scrapian to scrape, Middle Dutch schrapen to scrape, Middle High German schreffen to scratch, Latin scrobis trench, Russian skorb' sorrow, grief, Greek keirein to cut — more at shear
transitive verb
1. : erase , expunge
scrape out a word
2. obsolete : to scratch or dig with the nails
3.
a. : to remove (adhering or excrescent matter) from a surface by usually repeated strokes of an edged instrument drawn or pushed firmly across nearly at right angles to the surface
scrape paint off a chair
scrape scales off a fish
scrape mud off shoes
b.
(1) : to make (a surface) smooth or clean with strokes of an edged instrument or an abrasive — often used with down
scraped down and refinished a pine chest
(2) : to draw a road grader over
4.
a. : to grate harshly over or against
the keel scraped the stony bottom
b. : to damage or injure the surface of by sliding contact with a rough surface
scraped his knee on the pavement
scraped a fender in a near collision
c. : to draw roughly or noisily over a surface
stop scraping your feet
broke the silence by scraping a chair on the floor
5. : to collect by or as if by scraping : gather in small portions by laborious effort — used with up or together
scrape up money for the rent
6. : to produce (an engraving) by scraping the previously prepared surface of the plate — compare mezzotint
7. : to prepare (raw pelts) by removing the flesh and fat and breaking or loosening the fibers to make more flexible by rubbing with a dull-edged instrument — compare flesh
8. : to collect scrape from (trees)
intransitive verb
1. obsolete : scratch
2. : to move in sliding contact with a rough surface
scraped against the gateposts
3. : to accumulate money by small economies
scraping and saving to educate their children
4. : to bow a stringed instrument ; especially : to play with a rough unmusical tone
5. : to draw back the foot along the ground in making a bow
bowing and scraping
6. : to manage to make one's way with difficulty or succeed by a narrow margin
scraping along on a small income
scrape through a final examination
•
- scrape acquaintance
- scrape a leg
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from scrapen, v.
1.
a. : the act of scraping
rocks worn by the scrape of glaciers
took up the remaining mortar with a scrape of his trowel
b. : a sound made by scraping
rumble and scrape of the wheels of guns and limbers — H.N.Cole
scrape of footsteps up the stairs
2.
a. : scraper ; especially : a dredge for taking crabs or oysters
b. : a bare place, hollow, or heap made by scraping
the tern's nest is a scrape in the sand — C.L.Barrett
c. also scrape of the pen chiefly Scotland : a scrap of writing : a hasty note
not a scrape from you since your card at Christmas — Michael McLaverty
3. : a bow made by drawing back the foot
4. : a disagreeable predicament : an awkward or distressing situation
his brother was continually helping him out of scrapes at school
often : conflict , fight
got into a shooting scrape with a political opponent
5. : crude turpentine that collects and hardens on the trunks of turpentined trees and is gathered usually at the end of the season — compare dip 6d
Synonyms: see predicament