scrap English · revision 14995

+ Scrap, a fragment, came from Old Norse; scrap, a fight, is a later word, perhaps from scrape.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /skræp/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|fragment}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1387|origins=non skrapa}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The fragment is [[inh|enm|scrappe]], [[bor|non|skrap|t=scraps, trifles]], related to [[m|non|skrapa|t=to scrape]] (see [[scrape]]).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Remains of a meal, scraps of food: 1387, in Trevisa's translation of Higden.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Any small remnant or detached piece is from 1583,^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) often in the negative, ''not a scrap''.^(Etymonline) A ''scrap of paper'' is from 1840, made notorious in 1914 by the German chancellor's words about the treaty on Belgian neutrality.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Scrap iron is from 1823 and the scrapbook from 1825.^(Barnhart 1988) The verb, to break up into scrap, is from 1883, of locomotives, or 1891 in Barnhart.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Scrappy, made of odds and ends, is from 1837.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1387 – scraps of food.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1583 – a small piece.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1823 – scrap iron.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1825 – scrapbook.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1840 – a scrap of paper.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1883 – to scrap (verb).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A small piece of something larger; a [[fragment]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''scraps'': leftover bits of food.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Waste material, especially metal, for reprocessing: ''scrap iron''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An extract from something written.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To break down for scrap or salvage.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To discard as useless.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[scrapbook]]

+ * [[scrappy]]

+ * [[scrapheap]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|fight}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=1846}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The fight is possibly a variant of [[scrape]], in the sense of an awkward predicament or abrasive encounter;^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) Weekley and the OED, as cited by Etymonline, suggest an obsolete scrap, a villainous scheme (1679–80).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Merriam-Webster calls it of unknown origin.^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A struggle or tussle; a boxing match: 1846.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The verb, to fight or quarrel, is from 1874,^(Barnhart 1988) and scrappy, fond of fighting, is American English from 1895.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1679–80 – a villainous scheme (obsolete).^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1846 – a fight.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1874 – to scrap (verb).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1895 – scrappy, quarrelsome (US).^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(informal)'' A fight or scuffle.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # ''(informal)'' To fight, often with the fists.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[scrape]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}