scraping

/'skreipiɳ/
Học thuật
Thân thiện
scraping

The violinist practiced her bowing and scraping on the strings.

Definition
  1. Noun:
    • The act or sound of rubbing a surface with a hard or sharp object: "scraping" can refer to the action of moving something hard across a surface, often to remove material from it, or the harsh, grating sound this action produces.
    • A fragment removed by scraping: "scraping" (often used in the plural form scrapings) refers to the small pieces or particles that are removed from a surface by the act of scraping.
    • An excessively humble or obsequious bow: In a figurative and somewhat archaic sense, "scraping" can describe a deep, servile bow, often accompanied by drawing the foot back.
Examples of Usage
  • Noun (Act/Sound):
    • The scraping of the shovel on the concrete was an unpleasant noise.
    • He finished the job with a final scraping of the old paint from the door.
  • Noun (Fragments):
    • The archaeologist carefully collected the pottery scrapings for further study.
    • The recipe calls for adding the scrapings from the vanilla bean pod.
  • Noun (Obsequious bow):
    • The old comedy portrayed servants engaged in constant bowing and scraping.
Advanced Usage
  • "Bowing and scraping": This idiom describes behavior that is excessively humble, obedient, or flattering, often to gain favor. It implies a lack of dignity or sincerity.
    • I'm tired of all the bowing and scraping you have to do in that corporate culture.
Variants and Related Words
  • Scrape (verb/noun): The root word. As a verb, it means to rub a surface with something sharp or hard. As a noun, it can mean the act, the sound, or a difficult situation (e.g., ).
  • Scraper (noun): A tool used for scraping.
    • He used a paint scraper to remove the old varnish.
Synonyms
  • Grating: Producing a harsh, rasping sound.
  • Fragments: Small broken pieces or parts.
  • Groveling: Acting in an obsequious way to gain forgiveness or favor.
Related Phrases
  • Scrape together/up (phrasal verb): To collect or gather something, especially money, with difficulty.
    • We managed to scrape together enough cash for the train tickets.
  • Scrape through (phrasal verb): To just barely succeed or pass.
    • He scraped through the exam with a grade of 61%.
Related Idioms
  • Scrape the bottom of the barrel: To use the last and worst resources or options available because nothing better is left.
    • Hiring him shows they're really scraping the bottom of the barrel.
scraping

The violinist practiced her bowing and scraping on the strings.

Noun
  1. a deep bow with the foot drawn backwards (indicating excessive humility)
    • all that bowing and scraping did not impress him
  2. a harsh noise made by scraping
    • the scrape of violin bows distracted her
  3. (usually plural) a fragment scraped off of something and collected
    • they collected blood scrapings for analysis