scrape

Universal Words verb, noun verb remove 1 to remove sth from a surface by moving sth sharp and hard like a knife across it: [VN, usually +adv./prep.] She scraped the mud off her boots. * We scraped away the top layer of wallpaper. * [VN-ADJ] The kids had scraped their plates clean. damage 2 [VN] [usually +adv./prep.] to rub sth accidentally so that it gets damaged or hurt: I scraped the side of my car on the wall. * Sorry, I've scraped some paint off the car. * She fell and scraped her knee. * The wire had scraped the skin from her fingers. make sound 3 [usually +adv./prep.] to make an unpleasant noise by rubbing against a hard surface; to make sth do this: [V] I could hear his pen scraping across the paper. * Bushes scraped against the car windows. * (disapproving) We could hear her scraping away at the violin. * [VN] Don't scrape your chairs on the floor. win with difficulty 4 to manage to win or to get sth with difficulty: [VN] The team scraped a narrow victory last year. * (BrE) I just scraped a pass in the exam. * They scraped a living by playing music on the streets. * [V] The government scraped home (= just won) by three votes. make hole in ground 5 [VN] ~ sth (out) to make a hole or hollow place in the ground: He found a suitable place, scraped a hole and buried the bag in it. pull hair back 6 [VN] ~ your hair back to pull your hair tightly back, away from your face: Her hair was scraped back from her face in a ponytail. IDIOMS scrape (the bottom of) the barrel (disapproving) to have to use whatever things or people you can get, because there is not much choice available moreatBOWv. PHRASALVERBS scrape by (on sth) to manage to live on the money you have, but with difficulty: I can just scrape by on what my parents give me. scrape in