Scrape away To remove a layer of something by scraping it with a tool or object. I had to scrape away the old paint before I could repaint the wall. The crew used shovels and bulldozers to scrape away dirt and debris from the site of the collapsed building. In order to make the wooden beams smooth, the carpenter will need to use a hand plane to carefully scrape away any rough spots.

Scrape by To manage to survive or get through a difficult situation with very little resources or money. I'm just scraping by even though I’m working two jobs. Despite financial difficulties, they managed to scrape by each month.

Scrape off To remove something from something else by scraping. She used a knife to scrape off the paint from the wall. I burnt my toast but wanted to still eat it, so I used a knife to scrape off the blackened surface. Right before I was to meet him for a coffee date, I noticed I had some lint on my sweater, so I scraped it off with my fingernail.

Scrape out To remove something from the inside of a bowl, jar, pot, etc., using a utensil such as a spoon, spatula, or knife. Use a spoon to scrape out the flesh from the roasted squash. The chef used a spoon to scrape out the inside of the pumpkin. I use a spatula so I can scrape out every last bit of my favorite peanut butter from its jar.

Scrape together To gather or collect something. We had to scrape together enough money to buy the concert tickets. After losing his job, John had to scrape together enough money to pay his rent. They managed to scrape together a team of volunteers to clean up the beach on Saturday.

Scrape up (1) To remove something by moving a hard object over the surface it is on. The chef skillfully scraped up the caramelized sugars from the bottom of the saucepan to make a delightful glaze. A day after snow hit the D.C. region, the crews and plows came out again, working to scrape up the ice that formed from the water that poured downhill onto Virginia Avenue.

Scrape up (2) To graze the surface of something causing damage or injury. I tripped over a tree root while running and badly scraped up my knee. The officer said no one was injured, though the car did scrape up the side of a house next to a bedroom.

Scrape up (3) To gather or collect something. We managed to scrape up enough evidence to support our case. I had to scrape up enough money to pay for the unexpected car repair.