scrape off

scrape off

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 "off." He used a putty knife to scrape off the old paint from the wall. Stop scraping your scabs off or you'll end up with a scar! I had to use my fingers to scrape the mud off my windshield.

See also: off, scrape

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

scrape something off (of) someone or something

 and scrape something off

to rub or stroke something off someone or something. (Of is usually retained before pronouns.) I sat down and scraped the caked mud off of me. It was everywhere! Jake scraped off the rust.

See also: off, scrape

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