Scrape
Scrape (skrāp) , transitive verb
[Icelandic skrapa; akin to Swedish skrapa, Danish skrabe, Dutch schrapen, schrabben, German schrappen, and prob. to English sharp.]
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. — Macaulay
He tried to scrape acquaintance with her, but failed ignominiously.
Collocations (1)
To scrape acquaintance , to seek acquaintance otherwise than by an introduction. — Farquhar
Scrape , intransitive verb
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.
Scrape , noun
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. — H. Spencer
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.