Word of the Day: Scrape
When removing the top layer of something or when cleaning the surface of something, you can use the verb “scrape.”
- Scrape your plate before you put it in the dishwasher. (This sentence is in the imperative form. The subject is “you.)
- You have to scrape ice off of your windshield in the winter if you live in a cold, northern state like Minnesota.
- Jennifer scraped her knees when she fell, but she’s okay. (This is a popular word to use for accidents and injuries.)
- Some paint was scraped off of the side of my car when another car hit it in the parking lot.
You can also use “scrape” as a noun:
- Jennifer’s okay. It’s just a scrape. (This is a type of injury. If a person falls down and skin is removed as a result of the fall–but there’s very little blood–we call this “a scrape.”)
- Kevin got into a scrape with the law. (He did something bad, but it wasn’t too serious.)
- My car has a big scrape on the side of it.
The idiom “scrape by” is used when someone is having financial difficulties:
- They’re barely scraping by on one income.
- I think we’ll have enough money to scrape by this month.
Essential English Dictionary
Visit the Popular English Words Beginning with S page to see the list of all words starting with letter S. For seeing the HiCafe dictionary, visit the Popular English Words with Meaning page.
