SCRAN, skran, _n._ broken victuals: refuse--also SKRAN.--_n._ SCRAN'NING,
the act of begging for food.--BAD SCRAN TO YOU! bad fare to you! an Irish
imprecation. [Prob. Ice. _skran_, rubbish.]
SCRANCH, skransh, _v.t._ to grind with the teeth: to crunch.--Also
SCRAUNCH, SCRUNCH. [Prob. Dut. _schransen_, to eat heartily.]
SCRANKY, skrank'i, _adj._ (_Scot._) scraggy: lank.
SCRANNEL, skran'l, _adj._ (_Milt._) producing a weak, screeching noise:
thin: squeaking.
SCRANNY, skran'i, _adj._ (_prov._) lean and thin.
SCRAP, skrap, _n._ a small piece: a remnant: a picture suited for
preservation in a scrap-book: wrought-iron clippings: an unconnected
extract.--_v.t._ to consign to the scrap-heap.--_ns._ SCRAP'-BOOK, a blank
book for scraps or extracts, prints, &c.; SCRAP'-HEAP, a place where old
iron is collected; SCRAP'-[=I]'RON, old iron accumulated for reworking;
SCRAP'-MET'AL, scraps or fragments of any kind of metal, which are only of
use for remelting.--_adv._ SCRAP'PILY, in fragments, desultorily.--_n._
SCRAP'PINESS, fragmentariness, disconnectedness.--_adj._ SCRAP'PY.--GO TO
THE SCRAP-HEAP, to go to ruin. [Scand., Ice. _skrap_, scraps--_skrapa_, to
scrape.]
SCRAP, skrap, _n._ (_slang_) a fight, scrimmage.
SCRAP, skrap, _n._ a snare for birds.
SCRAPE, skr[=a]p, _v.t._ to make a harsh or grating noise on: to rub with
something sharp: to remove by drawing a sharp edge over: to collect by
laborious effort: to save penuriously: to erase.--_v.i._ to grub in the
ground: to rub lightly: to draw back the foot in making obeisance: to play
on a stringed instrument.--_n._ a perplexing situation: difficulty: a
shave.--_adj._ SCRAPE'-GOOD, miserly, stingy.--_ns._ SCRAPE'-PENN'Y, a
miser; SCRAP'ER, an instrument used for scraping, esp. the soles of shoes
outside the door of a house: a hoe: a tool used by engravers and others: a
fiddler; SCRAP'ING, that which is scraped off, as the scrapings of the
street: shavings, hoardings; SCRAP'ING-PLANE, a plane used by workers in
metal and wood.--SCRAPE ACQUAINTANCE WITH, to get on terms of acquaintance.
[Scand., Ice. _skrapa_, to scrape; Dut. _schrapen_; A.S. _scearpian_.]
SCRAPPLE, skrap'l, _v.i._ to grub about.--_n._ a mixture of meat-scraps,
herbs, &c. stewed, pressed in cakes, sliced and fried. [Dim. of _scrap_.]
SCRAT, skrat, _n._ a devil.--Also OLD SCRATCH, the devil. [Cf. Ger.
_schratt_, Ice. _skratti_, a goblin.]
SCRATCH, skrach, _v.t._ to mark the surface with something pointed, as the
nails: to tear or to dig with the claws: to write hurriedly: to
erase.--_v.i._ to use the claws in tearing or digging: to delete a name on
a voting-paper.--_n._ a mark or tear made by scratching: a slight wound:
the line in a prize-ring up to which boxers are led--hence test, trial, as
in 'to come up to the scratch:' (_pl._) a disease in horses: the time of
starting of a player: in billiards, a chance stroke which is successful: a
kind of wig, a scratch-wig: a scrawl.--_adj._ taken at random, as a
'scratch crew:' without handicap, or allowance of time or distance.--_ns._
SCRATCH'-BACK, a kind of toy, which, when drawn over a person's back, makes
a sound as if his coat was torn; SCRATCH'-BRUSH, a name given to various
forms of brushes; SCRATCH'-COAT, the first coat of plaster; SCRATCH'ER, a
bird which scratches for food.--_adv._ SCRATCH'INGLY.--_n.pl._
SCRATCH'INGS, refuse matter strained out of fat when melted.--_ns._
SCRATCH'-WEED, the goose-grass; SCRATCH'-WIG, a wig that covers only part
of the head; SCRATCH'-WORK, a kind of wall decoration.--_adj._ SCRATCH'Y,
ragged: scratching: of little depth.--SCRATCH OUT, to erase. [Explained by
Skeat as due to the confusion of M. E. _skratten_, to scratch, with M. E.
_cracchen_, to scratch: _skratten_ standing for _skarten_, an extended form
from Ice. _sker-a_, to shear; _cracchen_, again, stands for _kratsen_--Sw.
_kratsa_, to scrape.]
SCRATTLE, skrat'l, _v.i._ (_prov._) to scuttle.