scrap

scrap — noun

  • scrapsingular
  • scrapsplural

1. old metal, machinery, or vehicles whose original purpose is finished, but whose

1.名詞B2
釋義

old metal, machinery, or vehicles whose original purpose is finished, but whose material can be melted down or stripped for parts and reused.

例句

Élise sold her broken washing machine to the scrap yard for fifty euros.

collocation: scrap yard

After the storm, Obi piled up the twisted metal roof sheets to sell as scrap.

uncountable: sell as scrap

同義詞
  • junk

    more general, includes any unwanted items, not specifically metal

  • salvage

    what is recovered for reuse, often from wrecks or fires

文法句型

scrap metal

for scrap

用法筆記

Almost always uncountable. Frequent collocates: scrap metal, scrap yard, scrap dealer, scrap value.

常見錯誤

I sold three scraps of iron.
I sold three pieces of scrap iron.
💡in this sense scrap is uncountable; count it with 'pieces of'.

2. a small bit of paper, fabric, or other material, torn or cut from a larger whole

2.名詞B2
釋義

a small bit of paper, fabric, or other material, torn or cut from a larger whole; also the tiniest amount of news, evidence, or other information.

例句

Selim wrote his new phone number on a scrap of paper and slid it across the desk.

pattern: a scrap of paper

Talia stitched scraps of old shirts together to make a colourful quilt for her niece.

plural: scraps of cloth

同義詞
  • piece

    more general, may be any size; 'scrap' implies small and torn from something larger

  • shred

    thinner and longer than a scrap; often used figuratively as 'a shred of evidence'

  • fragment

    more formal, often used of broken or incomplete things

文法句型

a scrap of [noun]

用法筆記

Frequently in the pattern 'a scrap of X'. With concrete X (paper, cloth, metal) it is a small piece; with abstract X (evidence, information, news, comfort) it means even the smallest amount.

常見錯誤

I have a scrap news about her.
I have a scrap of news about her.
💡the noun takes the 'a scrap of X' frame; do not drop 'of'.

3. small bits of food left on plates or in the kitchen after a meal, usually given

3.名詞B2
釋義

small bits of food left on plates or in the kitchen after a meal, usually given to animals or thrown out.

例句

Tyler tipped the dinner scraps into a bowl and carried them outside for the chickens.

plural: dinner scraps

Arjun's grandmother saved every kitchen scrap to feed the stray dogs near the temple.

singular within plural: kitchen scrap

同義詞
  • leftovers

    neutral; can be a proper portion saved for later, not only what is thrown out

  • remains

    more formal; what is left of any meal or thing

文法句型

scraps of food

food scraps

用法筆記

Normally plural in this sense ('scraps'). Common compounds: food scraps, kitchen scraps, table scraps, dinner scraps.

常見錯誤

I gave the dog a scrap.
I gave the dog some scraps.
💡leftover food is normally plural in English.

4. a brief and noisy quarrel or fight, often over something minor; the participants

4.名詞C1
釋義

a brief and noisy quarrel or fight, often over something minor; the participants usually calm down quickly afterwards.

例句

Xiu had a quick scrap with her brother about who would sit in the front seat.

pattern: a scrap with [person]

There was a short scrap outside the pub on Saturday night, but no one was badly hurt.

pattern: a short scrap outside [place]

同義詞
  • tussle

    physical struggle, usually playful or not serious

  • spat

    small angry quarrel, usually verbal, between people who know each other

  • row

    British informal noisy argument, often louder than a scrap

文法句型

a scrap with [person]

用法筆記

Informal British and Australian English. Object/topic introduced by 'with' (a person) or 'over/about' (the cause). Implies the fight is quick and not serious.

常見錯誤

They had a long scrap that lasted for years.
They had a long feud that lasted for years.
💡'scrap' implies a brief, unimportant fight; use 'feud' or 'dispute' for lasting conflicts.

scrap — verb