# scrap

/ˈskɹæp/ (US) · /skɹˈæp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/scrap
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. a small piece

noun · CEFR B2

a small piece or fragment of something, especially paper or cloth.

For teachers: a small, detached, or incomplete portion of a material, typically paper, fabric, or information.

- She wrote her phone number on a scrap of paper she found in her bag.
- The detective managed to reconstruct the letter from a few charred scraps recovered from the fireplace.

### 2. leftover food

noun · CEFR B2

small amounts of food that are left over after a meal.

For teachers: discarded or leftover portions of food, often used as animal feed or thrown away.

- We gave the scraps from our dinner to the dog.
- The restaurant implemented a new composting system to handle the significant volume of food scraps generated during the lunch rush.

### 3. waste metal

noun · CEFR B2

old metal or other objects that can be recycled or used for parts.

For teachers: discarded metal or other materials suitable for reprocessing or dismantling.

- He sold his old, broken car for scrap.
- The industrial site was cleared of rusted machinery and sold to a scrap dealer for a modest profit.

### 4. a small fight

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal

a short, often unplanned fight or argument.

For teachers: a brief, relatively minor physical fight or skirmish.

- The two boys got into a scrap on the playground over a toy.
- What started as a verbal disagreement quickly escalated into a minor scrap outside the pub.

### 5. to cancel or discard

verb · CEFR B2

to decide not to continue with a plan or to throw something away.

For teachers: to abandon or discard a project, plan, or object as being no longer useful or viable.

- The company decided to scrap the project because it was too expensive.
- The government was forced to scrap the controversial housing policy after facing intense pressure from local councils.

### 6. to fight

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to have a small, physical fight.

For teachers: to engage in a minor physical altercation or scuffle.

- The players were sent off after they started scrapping on the field.
- The rival fans began scrapping in the parking lot before the police arrived to disperse the crowd.

## Examples

- He wrote his phone number on a scrap of paper.
- The stray dog waited patiently by the kitchen door for a scrap of meat from the butcher.
- The historian spent years piecing together a narrative from every available scrap of evidence found in the dusty archives.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.