scrape
Pronunciation: (skrāp), [key]
— v., n. scraped, scrap•ing,
—v.t.
- to deprive of or free from an outer layer, adhering matter, etc., or to smooth by drawing or rubbing something, esp. a sharp or rough instrument, over the surface: to scrape a table to remove paint and varnish.
- to remove (an outer layer, adhering matter, etc.) in this way: to scrape the paint and varnish from a table.
- to scratch, injure, or mar the surface of in this way: to scrape one's arm on a rough wall.
- to produce by scraping: He scraped his initials on the rock.
- to collect or do by or as if by scraping; do or gather laboriously or with difficulty (usually fol. by up or together): They managed to scrape together a football team.
- to rub harshly on or across (something): Don't scrape the floor with your boots!
- to draw or rub (a thing) roughly across something: Scrape your shoes on the doormat before you come in.
- to level (an unpaved road) with a grader.
—v.i.
- to scrape something.
- to rub against something gratingly.
- to produce a grating and unmusical tone from a string instrument.
- to draw one's foot back noisily along the ground in making a bow.
- to manage or get by with difficulty or with only the barest margin: I barely scraped through on the test.
- to economize or save by attention to even the slightest amounts: By careful scraping they managed to survive.
—n.
- an act or instance of scraping.
- a drawing back of the foot noisily along the ground in making a bow.
- a harsh, shrill, or scratching sound made by scraping.
- a scraped place: a scrape on one's elbow.
- an embarrassing or distressing situation; predicament: He is always in some kind of a scrape.
- a difference of opinion, fight, or quarrel; scrap.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.