scrape
verb (used with object)
to deprive of or free from an outer layer, adhering matter, etc., or to smooth by drawing or rubbing something, especially a sharp or rough instrument, over the surface.
was scraping
-
past progressiveof scrape.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"Almost every company doing AI, from start-ups to some of the biggest corporations on Earth, was scraping vast amounts of data," he said.
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2023
It was January, and she was scraping by on $443 a month in food stamps.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 14, 2022
Cross, who wasn’t working because of her ailing back and knees, was scraping by on roughly $200 a month in aid plus whatever she could make from recycling bottles and cans.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2022
Mark Gray, a worker with a cleanup company, was scraping remnants of Mr. Patricelli’s house with an excavator.
From New York Times ● May 14, 2022
Betty Jean was scraping what appeared to be burnt cookies into the garbage.
From "The Lions of Little Rock" by Kristin Levine
