1 B1 idiomatic informal
To manage to gather or obtain enough money for a specific purpose, despite difficulty.
"She could barely scrape up the bus fare to get to the job interview."
separable
scrape up
B1 informal separable transitive
To gather or collect something, especially money, with considerable difficulty.
In plain English
To find just enough money or other things you need, even though it takes a lot of effort.
What does "scrape up" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To gather or summon something intangible such as courage, energy, or support with difficulty.
"He scraped up every ounce of courage he had and knocked on her door."
separable
3 B1 neutral
To clean or clear a surface by scraping material upward or away from it.
"Scrape up any remaining wax from the floor before applying the new polish."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To scrape (gather small particles) up (from the floor or surface) — gathering what little there is.
Actually means
To find just enough money or other things you need, even though it takes a lot of effort.
Usage tip
Most frequently used with money. Also used for gathering facts, evidence, or courage. Very close to 'scrape together'; both are widely used and interchangeable in most contexts.
Words that pair with "scrape up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
money cash funds courage fare deposit
How to conjugate "scrape up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
scrape up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
scrapes up
he/she/it
Past simple
scraped up
yesterday
Past participle
scraped up
have + pp
-ing form
scraping up
continuous
Hear "scrape up" in the wild
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Other ways to say "scrape up"
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Keep exploring
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