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Webster's Dictionary (1865)

3 entries under this word

Scrape

Scrāpe, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. SCRAPED (skrāpt); p. pr. & vb. n. SCRAPING.] [A-S. scrēpan, screopan, L. Ger. & D. schrapen, schrabben, Up. Ger. schrappen, schraffen, M. H. Ger. schrapfen, schraufen, Sw. skrapa, Dan. skrabe, Icel. skrapa, to crack, waver.]

Sense 1. To rub the surface of with a sharp or rough instrument; to rub over with something that roughens or removes the surface; to grate harshly over; to roughen or remove the surface of by drawing a sharp edge over, without cutting; to abrade.

A hundred footsteps scrape the marble hall. Pope.

Sense 2. To remove by rubbing or grating.

I will also scrape her dust from her, and make her like the top of a rock. Ezek. xxvi. 4.

Sense 3. To collect by harsh, coarse, and laborious effort; hence, to acquire or save penuriously; as, to scrape money together.

The prelatic party complained that to swell a number the non-conformists did not choose, but scraped subscribers. Fuller.

Sense 4. To express disapprobation of by noisy movements of the feet upon the floor; to drown and silence by drawing the feet back and forth upon the floor.

To scrape acquaintance, to make one's self acquainted; to curry favor;—a phrase introduced from the practice of scraping in bowing.

Scrâpe, v. i.

verbintransitive

Sense 1. To rub over the surface of any thing with something which roughens or removes it; to rub harshly and noisily along. 2. Hence, to play awkwardly and inharmoniously on a violin or like instrument. 3. To make an awkward bow, with a drawing back of the foot.

Scrāpe, n.

noun

n. [See supra.] 1. A rubbing over with something harsh that roughens or removes the surface; hence, the effect produced by rubbing, as of a scraping instrument, of the foot, &c.; as, a noisy scrape on the floor; a scrape of a pen.

  1. An awkwardly obsequious bow; an obeisance.
  2. A disagreeable and embarrassing predicament; a position out of which one can not get without undergoing, as it were, a painful rubbing or scraping; perplexity; difficulty.