scrape the bottom of the barrel

== English == === Etymology === Derived from the historical practice in the early European history of storing food in barrels; when food supplies ran low, only what was on the very bottom of the barrel remained, and had to be removed by scraping.(Can this(+) etymology be sourced?) Oil in a barrel has different fractions with a different weight. The heavier fractions like asphaltum sink to the bottom of the barrel and can be difficult to scrape from the bottom. === Pronunciation === === Verb === scrape the bottom of the barrel (third-person singular simple present scrapes the bottom of the barrel, present participle scraping the bottom of the barrel, simple past and past participle scraped the bottom of the barrel) (idiomatic, informal) To settle for a poor option due to a lack or unavailability of anything more favorable. Synonym: scrape the barrel ==== Translations ==== === References ===