What does scrape mean?
Scrape usually describes moving an edge, tool, or pointed object across a surface so that dirt, paint, food, or another material comes away. It can also describe a slight injury caused by rubbing, a vehicle or object passing close against something, and the difficult process of gathering money or resources. In modern computing, to scrape a website or its data means to extract publicly accessible information systematically. The related expressions “scrape by” and “scrape a living” emphasize barely succeeding or obtaining necessities with difficulty. As a noun, a scrape may be an act or mark of rubbing, a minor abrasion, a narrow chance, or a very small quantity. The word is useful because it connects a concrete physical action with broader figurative ideas involving close contact, scarcity, and barely achieving an outcome.
To rub a surface with an edge or pointed object so as to remove or clean something; to move close against something; to gather something with difficulty; to obtain digital data; or to succeed only narrowly.
"The robot scraped the warehouse floor while collecting navigation data."
The technical computing sense is established, though “scrape” can imply either deliberate data collection or scraping that may violate a site's terms or policies.
An act, mark, or slight injury produced by scraping; also a very small amount or a narrow chance.
"He fell off his bicycle and received a scrape on his knee."
The noun meaning “a narrow chance” is especially common in constructions such as “not a scrape.”
The standard plural is “scrapes,” used for multiple scraping acts, marks, or minor injuries. The separate noun “scrap” is normally used for a small piece or an extremely small quantity.
"The old wooden table was covered with scrapes, dents, and faded marks."
From scratching a wall to extracting data from a website, scrape has covered a lot of ground without losing its edge.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does scrape come from?
The word comes from Middle English scrapen, which developed from an Old English verb meaning to scrape or rub. It belongs to an old Germanic family of words associated with scratching and rubbing, and the related English word scrap has the same historical root. Its modern meanings extend from physically rubbing a surface to moving closely against something, gathering resources with difficulty, and extracting digital information.
Related word forms
How scrape is actually used
Scrape is neutral when describing the removal of material but can sound slightly harsh when used for an injury. In computing, scraping usually means extracting publicly accessible information automatically from a website. The idioms “scrape by” and “scrape a living” imply difficulty or a narrow margin.
Easily confused with scrape
A scrape is the act of rubbing or removing something from a surface, whereas a scrap is a small piece or discarded fragment.