scratch away

scratch away

1. To remove something (from something else) by scraping with something hard, sharp, or abrasive. A noun or pronoun can be used between "scratch" and "away." I was left with a scar because I kept scratching the scab away. You can use a coin to scratch away the gray strip to reveal whether or not you won the prize.
2. To scrape something or some surface steadily or continuously with something hard, sharp, or abrasive. We've been scratching away for nearly an hour, but this rust just won't come off. The dog scratched away at the door, whining to be let out into the back yard.
See also: away, scratch
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

scratch something away

to rub or scrape something off by scratching. Look at the finish on this furniture. The cat has almost scratched it away! That cat scratched away the finish on the table!
See also: away, scratch
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • add in
  • all right
  • a/the feel of (something)
  • (I) wouldn't (do something) if I were you
  • a straw will show which way the wind blows
  • a crack at (someone or something)
  • (you) wanna make something of it?
  • all for the best
  • a thing of the past
  • a slew of (something)
References in classic literature
Jacob paused from his clinking, and looked into the hole, while David began to scratch away the earth, as if in doubtful expectation.
Brother Jacob
" What happens when you scratch away at the skin of a musical icon?
NICO'S TALES FROM THE UNDERGROUND; MAXINE PEAKE GETS INTO THE HEAD OF THE ICONIC GERMAN SINGER WHOSE LIFE ENDED IN OBSCURITY
The former Lib Dem leader, who lost his seat at the 2017 general election, predicted that Johnson would call an early election in an attempt to prove his political popularity, adding: "He's going to really scratch away at that itch because that's all he has got."
Clegg: Brexit unleashed a demon on UK
Have they some sort of mental defect that allows them to scratch away in public, or even just walk around with their hands down their trousers?
Some men just not up to scratch if you ask me
A glaze is applied and using a sharp tool, you can scratch away the glaze to create a pattern or texture on the surface.
SGRAFFITO MASKS
But if you scratch away a spec of the perma tan it's all pretty disturbing stuff.
Love Island is a turn-off... but I'm switched on to Poldark
Dylan was just as good, so we were able to scratch away one and come away with a win."
Outpacing their former ace
"Then we'd come in with a large trackhoe and scratch away at that rock, dig it out and they'd set another small charge.
Greenville explodes pathway for sanitary sewer expansion: in-house design-build project succeeds down deep, under budget
"But I think if you scratch away the crazy stuff, when it comes to the same things Secretary Clinton is talking about, and Bernie Sanders to a point is talking about, with wage inequity and a stagnating middle class, and the reasons and rationale for that happening, I think that, you know, people are pretty angry."
Widening Labor Rift Could Hurt Clinton
The free crafts table had a host of items that families could go and decorate including tool box picture frames, personalised cards and scratch away key rings.
Shopping centre helps kids make dads' day
Some areas are blocked by clay walls that you need to scratch away before Kirby can roll through.
Kirby strikes gold in 'Rainbow Curse'
The demands come against a backdrop of deliberate attempts to scratch away other aspects of Hong Kong's autonomy as a "special administrative region".
The China syndrome
Scratch away at the surface Scratch away at the surface of Ukip, under the Farage gleam, and you reveal an underbelly which leans more to lazy racism, than the hard-sell of saying we don't need more immigrants.
WE MUST ALL FIGHT RACISM
There is also a spray called Scratch Away which removes the visual impact of scratches.
Tip of the week; The best way to control moss and algae is to cut back shrubs and trees that shade your paving, driveway or hard-standings and let in the sunlight