scrape away

scrape away

1. To remove something (from some surface) with or as with the vigorous scrubbing of a rough, sharp, or hard-edged instrument. A noun or pronoun can be used between "scrape" and "away." He used a putty knife to scrape away the old paint from the wall. Stop scraping the scab away or you'll end up with a scar!
2. To scrub (something or some surface) vigorously with or as with a rough, sharp, or hard-edged instrument steadily or continuously. I sat there scraping away for nearly an hour, but the rust just wouldn't come off! She's up there scraping away at the gutter, trying to clear out all the moss and gunk that has been building up over the last year.
See also: away, scrape
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

scrape something away (from something)

to scratch or rasp something off something. Ted scraped the rough places away from the fender he was repairing. Ted scraped away the rough places.
See also: away, scrape
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • involve with
  • involve with (someone or something)
  • involved with
  • arrange for
  • arrange for some time
  • arrange some music for
  • back into
  • back into (someone or something)
  • add in
  • angle
References in periodicals archive
Scrape away the garlic, herbs and lemon slices and remove any bones from the bottom fillet.
Roasted Whole Fish
One officer is using what appears to be a pick to scrape away the dried-up soil, while another expert from Alecto Forensics, sits on the mud and looks on, tools at the ready.
Does it hold grim secrets? And will it ever surrender them?
Scrape away any furry choke with a teaspoon and then run a lemon half over the hearts so they don't discolour.
ARTICHOKES AND ASPARAGUS (Serves 4)
Scrape away all the fake ears, noses and dwarf hair and you'll find a host of UK stars in the new Hobbit film trilogy.
HORBRITS; Can you spot Middle Earth stars?
Cut the cucumber in half lengthways then, using a teaspoon, scrape away the seeds.
Home cooking; Smoked salmon salad with wasabi dressing
Then turn over each piece and gently scrape away all the charred skin with a small sharp knife.
Recipe
The workers have had to scrape away snow and ice from the site in June.
Open for business on roof of Wales; First minister hikes to new pounds 8m summit cafe
British, Australian and French dignitaries joined locals for an on-site ceremony, before a mechanical digger moved in to scrape away the first layers of earth..
Digging begins; REMEMBRANCE: BRITAIN TODAY
Wrapping a patch around a brush to make it fit and using tools to scrape away the fouling is not foolproof.
New AR-15 cleaning brushes
He said: "They certainly have a very nasty sting, and if anyone is unfortunate enough to be stung, the advice is to use apiece of stick to scrape away any stinging cells left by the creature, and then apply ice."
Killer found on the beach
Despite all the masterful showmanship, when you scrape away the veneer of PR spin, Britain is fundamentally the same place it was 10 years ago.
Editorial Comment
Be judicious with your scraper and open up hollow patches and scrape away until the wall feels solid.
Q & A: paint restoration
Never use wire brushes, screwdrivers or knife blades to scrape away dirt or it's bye-bye sight glass.
Full hubs are quite a sight!
Each ballot has a scratch foil like that of a lottery ticket, which voters can scrape away to verify that the codes are correct.
Ballot roulette: computer scientists and mathematicians look for better ways to vote
Scrape away the hype and you get a game which is good without being spectacular.
Games: MARC ECKO'S GETTING UP: CONTENTS UNDER PRESSURE, PS2, Atari, pounds 29.99 VERDICT: ***