How to Pronounce "scrape the bottom of the barrel"
expression
Definition
To use whatever is left, even if it is of low quality, because you have no other choices. It means you are running out of good options and must accept the worst or least desirable only because nothing better is available.
IPA Transcription
American English
ˈskɹeɪp/ /ˈðə/, /ðə/, /ði/ /ˈbɑtəm/ /ˈəv/ /ˈðə/, /ðə/, /ði/ /ˈbæɹəɫ/, /ˈbɛɹəɫ
British English
skɹˈeɪp/ /ðə, ði/ /bˈɒtəm/ /ˈɒv/ /ðə, ði/ /bˈæɹəl
Simplified Pronunciation
US
SKRAYP thuh BAH-tuhm uhv thuh BAIR-uhl
UK
sk-RAYP thuh BOT-um ov thuh BARR-ul
Listen in Context
After all the good players left, the team had to scrape the bottom of the barrel for replacements.
The chef had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to make dinner with only a few leftovers.
With no good ideas left, they started to scrape the bottom of the barrel for solutions.
We're really scraping the bottom of the barrel if he's our best option now.