Free translatorFree translator
Synonyms, antonyms, pronunciation

  Home 		English Dictionary      examples: 'day', 'get rid of', 'New York Bay'




Scrape   /skreɪp/   Listen
verb
Scrape  v. t.  (past & past part. scraped; pres. part. scraping)  
1.
To rub over the surface of (something) with a sharp or rough instrument; to rub over with something that roughens by removing portions of the surface; to grate harshly over; to abrade; to make even, or bring to a required condition or form, by moving the sharp edge of an instrument breadthwise over the surface with pressure, cutting away excesses and superfluous parts; to make smooth or clean; as, to scrape a bone with a knife; to scrape a metal plate to an even surface.
2.
To remove by rubbing or scraping (in the sense above). "I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock."
3.
To collect by, or as by, a process of scraping; to gather in small portions by laborious effort; hence, to acquire avariciously and save penuriously; often followed by together or up; as, to scrape money together. "The prelatical party complained that, to swell a number the nonconformists did not choose, but scrape, subscribers."
4.
To express disapprobation of, as a play, or to silence, as a speaker, by drawing the feet back and forth upon the floor; usually with down.
To scrape acquaintance, to seek acquaintance otherwise than by an introduction. "He tried to scrape acquaintance with her, but failed ignominiously."


Scrape  v. i.  
1.
To rub over the surface of anything with something which roughens or removes it, or which smooths or cleans it; to rub harshly and noisily along.
2.
To occupy one's self with getting laboriously; as, he scraped and saved until he became rich. "(Spend) their scraping fathers' gold."
3.
To play awkwardly and inharmoniously on a violin or like instrument.
4.
To draw back the right foot along the ground or floor when making a bow.


noun
Scrape  n.  
1.
The act of scraping; also, the effect of scraping, as a scratch, or a harsh sound; as, a noisy scrape on the floor; a scrape of a pen.
2.
A drawing back of the right foot when bowing; also, a bow made with that accompaniment.
3.
A disagreeable and embarrassing predicament out of which one can not get without undergoing, as it were, a painful rubbing or scraping; a perplexity; a difficulty. "The too eager pursuit of this his old enemy through thick and thin has led him into many of these scrapes."





Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48


Advanced search
     Find words:
Starting with
Ending with
Containing
Matching a pattern  

Synonyms
Antonyms
Quotes
Words linked to  

only single words


Share |




"Scrape" Quotes from Famous Books



... came to a resolution to castrate them and began the operation this evening one of the indians present offered his services on this occasion. he cut them without tying the string of the stone as is usual, and assures us that they will do much better in that way; he takes care to scrape the string very clean and to seperate it from all the adhereing veigns before he cuts it. we shall have an opportunity of judging whether this is a method preferable to that commonly practiced as Drewyer ...
— The Journals of Lewis and Clark • Meriwether Lewis et al
... reached around for another weapon my hand struck the can of alcohol, and right then I had a genuine three-X inspiration. I pulled the plug from the can and poured the spirits down. The bear howled murder as the stuff ran into his eyes, and plunking himself on his hunkies, he began to paw and scrape it out. There was my chance! I fumbled through all my pockets as fast as my hand could travel—no matches! Then cussing and praying like a steam-engine, I tried it again; found a handful in the first pocket; dropped most of 'em, being so nervous, ...
— Red Saunders' Pets and Other Critters • Henry Wallace Phillips
... Beatrice, laughing. "No, no, I know very well that nobody will care when it is done, and there are no commands one way or the other. I love my own neck, I assure you, Alex, and will not get that into a scrape. Come, if that will put you into a better humour, I'll dance with you first to-night." Alex turned away, muttering, "I don't like it—I'd go myself, but—Well, ...
— Henrietta's Wish • Charlotte M. Yonge
... the blame of your wrong-doing upon me. Pray don't talk about broken hearts, and blighted lives, and all that sort of thing. I'm a man of the world, and I can appreciate the exact value of that kind of twaddle. I am sorry for the scrape I got you into, and am ready to do anything reasonable to atone for that old business. I can't give you back the past; but I can give you that for which most men are ready to barter past, present, and ...
— Henry Dunbar - A Novel • M. E. Braddon
... reputation, what honor, what profit can accrue to you from such conduct as yours? One moment you tell me you are going to become the greatest musician in the world, and straight you fill my house with fiddlers. Tri. I am clear out of that scrape now, sir. Old F. Then from a fiddler you are metamorphosed into a philosopher; and for the noise of drums, trumpets, and hautboys, you substitute a vile jargon, more unintelligible than was ever heard at the tower of Babel. Tri. You are right, sir, I have found out that philosophy ...
— The American Union Speaker • John D. Philbrick


More quotes...


Copyright © 2024 Free Translator.org