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scrape by

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scrape by

(on something) and scrape by (with something) to manage just to get by with something. (Usually applies to a more specific period or time or a more specific event than scrape along (on something).) There is not really enough money to live on, and we just have to scrape by on what we can earn. We can't scrape by with only that amount of money.

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scrape by

(something) to manage just to get by something. I scraped by the man standing at the gate and got into the theater without a ticket. Mary scraped by the cart that was blocking the crowded hallway.

See also: scrape

scrape by

(with something) Go to scrape by (on something).

See also: scrape

scrape by

1. to have only enough money to buy the basic things you need to live Even with both of us working, we earn just enough to scrape by.

2. to come very close to failing She only scraped by in the last election and no one expects her to win this time.

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scrape by

v.

1. To succeed just barely in managing or surviving, especially despite severely limited resources: When I was out of work, my family and I barely scraped by. We scraped by on just $3 a day.

2. To succeed at a level of minimal acceptability: The student just scraped by with a D average.

3. To succeed just barely in passing some obstacle, such as a competition or evaluation: The tennis player scraped by the third round with a narrow victory.

See also: scrape