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scrap

n. · v.
US //ˈskɹæp// UK //skɹˈæp// scrap
  1. 1 a small piece (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

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

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

    Example

    She wrote her phone number on a scrap of paper she found in her bag.

    Example

    The detective managed to reconstruct the letter from a few charred scraps recovered from the fireplace.
  2. 2 leftover food (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

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

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

    Example

    We gave the scraps from our dinner to the dog.

    Example

    The restaurant implemented a new composting system to handle the significant volume of food scraps generated during the lunch rush.
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  1. 3 waste metal (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

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

    discarded metal or other materials suitable for reprocessing or dismantling.

    Example

    He sold his old, broken car for scrap.

    Example

    The industrial site was cleared of rusted machinery and sold to a scrap dealer for a modest profit.
  2. 4 a small fight (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    a short, often unplanned fight or argument.

    a brief, relatively minor physical fight or skirmish.

    Example

    The two boys got into a scrap on the playground over a toy.

    Example

    What started as a verbal disagreement quickly escalated into a minor scrap outside the pub.
  3. 5 to cancel or discard (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

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

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

    Example

    The company decided to scrap the project because it was too expensive.

    Example

    The government was forced to scrap the controversial housing policy after facing intense pressure from local councils.
  4. 6 to fight (v.)
    C1 Advanced Informal

    to have a small, physical fight.

    to engage in a minor physical altercation or scuffle.

    Example

    The players were sent off after they started scrapping on the field.

    Example

    The rival fans began scrapping in the parking lot before the police arrived to disperse the crowd.
Etymology 1

From Middle English scrappe, from Old Norse skrap, from skrapa (“to scrape, scratch”), from Proto-Germanic skrapōną, skrepaną (“to scrape, scratch”), from Proto-Indo-European skreb-, skrep- (“to engrave”). Cf. Swedish skräp (“garbage”).

Etymology 2

Perhaps from the obsolete colloquial meaning "sinister plot, scheme, villainy", or a dialectal variant of scrape.

Word family
Idioms1 entry

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