scrap of food

Meanings

1. 1phrasecountable

   a small piece of food that is left after a meal or that has been thrown away

   Grammar: Often used in the plural: scraps of food. Can be used with 'a' for a single piece.

   Patterns

   • a scrap of food
   • scraps of food
   • scraps from something

   The dog ate every scrap of food from the floor.

   She gave the scraps of food to the birds.

   There wasn't a single scrap of food left in the fridge.

2. 2phrasecountable

   a very small amount of food, especially when there is not enough

   Grammar: Used to emphasize how little food there is, often in negative sentences.

   Patterns

   • not a scrap of food
   • without a scrap of food

   The refugees had not a scrap of food to eat.

   After the long journey, they had no scraps of food left.

Word forms

Common combinations

scraps of food

The kitchen bin was full of scraps of food.

a scrap of food

He ate every last scrap of food on his plate.

leftover scraps

We fed the leftover scraps to the dog.

not a scrap of food

There was not a scrap of food in the house.

Synonyms and how they differ

bit of food

More general; 'bit' can be any small amount, while 'scrap' often suggests leftover or waste.

leftover

Usually refers to food saved after a meal, not necessarily small pieces.

morsel

A very small piece of food, often used in formal or literary contexts.

Word family

scrap noun

A small piece or amount, often of food or material.

scrappy adjective

Consisting of scraps; also means untidy or disorganized.

Commonly confused: scrap of food or scrape?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “scrap of food”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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