1an act or sound of scraping:he heard the scrape of his mother’s key in the lock
an injury or mark caused by scraping:there was a long, shallow scrape on his shin
a place where soil has been scraped away, especially a shallow hollow formed in the ground by a bird during a courtship display or for nesting:ringed plovers incubate eggs in shallow scrapes
[in singular]British a thinly applied layer of butter or margarine on bread:when making sandwiches, use only the thinnest scrape of fat
archaic an obsequious bow in which one foot is drawn backwards along the ground.
2 Medicine, informal a procedure of dilatation of the cervix and curettage of the uterus.
3 informal an embarrassing or difficult predicament caused by one’s own unwise behaviour:he’d been in worse scrapes than this before now
ზმნა
Universal
1 [with object] drag or pull a hard or sharp implement across (a surface or object) so as to remove dirt or other matter:remove the green tops from the carrots and scrape them [with object and complement]:we scraped the dishes clean
[with object and adverbial] use a sharp or hard implement to remove (dirt or unwanted matter) from something:she scraped the mud off her shoes
[with object and adverbial] apply (a hard or sharp implement) to a surface so as to remove dirt or other matter:he scraped the long-bladed razor across the stubble on his cheek
make (a hollow) by scraping away soil or rock:he found a ditch, scraped a hole, and put the bag in it
2rub or cause to rub by accident against a rough or hard surface, causing damage or injury: [no object]:he smashed into the wall and felt his teeth scrape against the plaster [with object]:she reversed in a reckless sweep, scraping the Range Rover
[with object] draw or move (something) along or over something else, making a harsh noise:she scraped back her chair and stood up
[no object] move with or make a harsh scraping sound:she lifted the gate to prevent it scraping along the ground
[no object, with adverbial] narrowly pass by or through something:there was only just room to scrape through between the tree and the edge of the stream
[no object] humorous play a violin tunelessly:Olivia was scraping away at her violin
[with object] (scrape something back) draw one’s hair tightly back off the forehead:her hair was scraped back into a bun
[with object and adverbial]British spread (butter or margarine) thinly over bread:she became involved with scraping butter on to a piece of toast
3 [with object] just manage to achieve; accomplish with great effort or difficulty:Scotland scraped a lucky home draw with Portugalfor some years he scraped a living as a tutor
(scrape something together/up) collect or accumulate something with difficulty:they could hardly scrape up enough money for one ticket, let alone two
[no object] try to save as much money as possible; economize:they had scrimped and scraped and saved for years
[no object] (scrape by/along) manage to live with difficulty:she has to scrape by on Social Security
[no object, with adverbial] barely manage to succeed in a particular undertaking:Bowden scraped in with 180 votes at the last electionhe scraped through the entrance exam
4 [with object] copy (data) from a website using a computer program:all search engines scrape content from sites without permission and display it on their own sites
scrape acquaintance with
dated contrive to get to know:I’d like you to stay at the hotel and try to scrape acquaintance with her
scrape the barrel (or the bottom of the barrel)
informal be reduced to using things or people of the poorest quality because there is nothing else available:the party was scraping the barrel for competent politicians
