Scrap
/skræp/noun
A small fragment or leftover piece; also, a brief fight or quarrel.
Did you know?The word first appears in English with the meaning “a small piece” in the 14th century, but it also developed the sense “fight” in the 19th century, giving us the eerie phrase “scrap with someone.”
Etymological Timeline
Old Norse / Middle English
ON/ME
skrap
“A scrap, fragment, or small piece”
14th Century
English
scrap
“A small piece or fragment left over from something larger”
19th Century
English
scrap
“A fight, quarrel, or rough contest”
Modern English
English
scrap
“A small leftover piece; also, to discard, cancel, or engage in a fight”