scrape along

scrape along

1. To manage to survive or narrowly meet all of one's living requirements, despite having limited funds or resources. After John lost his job, we've had to scrape along on what's left of our savings. When I was in college, I scraped along with what I could earn as a part-time line cook.

2. To barely succeed or accomplish something by reaching a minimal or base level of acceptability. A: "Did you pass the test?" B: "Yeah, I managed to scrape along, but I was hoping to do better." Surprising many, the reigning champion only managed to scrape along with a 16-15 victory in the qualifying round.

See also: scrape

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

scrape along (on something)

 and scrape along (with something)

to manage just to get along with a minimum amount of something. We can just scrape along on the money I earn from my sewing. Do you think you can scrape along with just $400 per month?

See also: scrape

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

scrape along

v.

1. To succeed just barely in managing or surviving, especially despite severely limited resources: We scraped along on very little income until I could find work.

2. To succeed or manage at a level of minimal acceptability: The parents were concerned that their child was just scraping along.

See also: scrape

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.