Scraps and wholes
/skræps ænd hoʊlz/
B2
Definition
This phrase combines two ideas: "scraps," which are small leftover pieces or fragments, and "wholes," which means complete or entire things. Together, it often describes the relationship between parts and the entire object or concept. It can be used to discuss how small pieces fit into or come from a larger whole.
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See It in Action
Small pieces and complete items
- •She collected scraps and wholes of fabric for her sewing project.
- •The artist used scraps and wholes to create a mixed collage.
- •In cooking, you can use scraps and wholes of vegetables to make broth.
Parts and the entire thing in general
- •Understanding scraps and wholes helps in seeing how small details relate to the big picture.
- •The book discusses scraps and wholes in the context of memory and experience.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "scraps" like small pieces of a puzzle, and "wholes" like the finished puzzle.
- ✓Picture a torn paper: the scraps are the small bits, and the whole is the full paper before tearing.
- ✓It's like when you eat a sandwich: crumbs are scraps, the sandwich is the whole meal.
- ✓Sounds like "scraps and holes" → imagine small pieces (scraps) and complete things with holes (wholes) that fit together.
- ✓Remember the story of a quilt made from scraps of cloth that together make a whole blanket.
- ✓NOT like "only scraps" (just small parts) or "only wholes" (complete things), this phrase talks about both small parts and complete things together.
- ✓NOT like "broken vs fixed" — wholes are complete, not broken; scraps are leftover pieces, not necessarily broken.
Try Other Words
- •Pieces and wholes: small parts and complete things (Use when emphasizing physical parts)
- •Fragments and entirety: broken bits and the whole (Use in more formal or literary contexts)
- •Leftovers and complete items: remaining small parts and full objects (Use in cooking or crafting contexts)
Unboxing
- •"scraps": small leftover pieces, from Old Norse "skrap" meaning "something scraped off"
- •"and": a common conjunction joining two ideas
- •"wholes": plural of "whole," meaning complete or entire, from Old English "hal" meaning "healthy, entire"
- •The phrase combines contrast: small leftover bits (scraps) vs complete things (wholes)
- •Used metaphorically to discuss parts and the whole in many contexts like art, memory, or cooking
Reflect & Connect
•How do small scraps contribute to the meaning or value of the whole in different situations?
•Can something made only from scraps become a valuable whole? How does that change your view of scraps?
Fill in the blanks
1.She used ___ and wholes of fabric to make a beautiful quilt.
2.The story showed how ___ and wholes connect to form memories.
3.Unlike complete objects, scraps are often ___ pieces left after use.
4.In art, scraps and wholes can be combined ___ to create new works.
5.When cooking, you can use both scraps and wholes ___ to save food.
6.Understanding scraps and wholes helps us see how ___ parts build a big picture.
7.The artist arranged scraps and wholes ___ a way that made sense visually.