scratch along vs grapple

scratch along is not a noun while grapple is a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
scratch along	No	No	Yes	No
grapple	Yes	No	Yes	No

As verbs, grapple is a hypernym of scratch along; that is, grapple is a word with a broader meaning than scratch along:

scratch along: manage one's existence barely
grapple: succeed in doing, achieving, or producing (something) with the limited or inadequate means available

Other hypernyms of scratch along include contend, cope, deal, get by, make do, make out, manage.

scratch along (noun)	grapple (noun)
	the act of engaging in close hand-to-hand combat
	a tool consisting of several hooks for grasping and holding; often thrown with a rope
	a dredging bucket with hinges like the shell of a clam

scratch along (verb)	grapple (verb)
manage one's existence barely	to grip or seize, as in a wrestling match
	succeed in doing, achieving, or producing (something) with the limited or inadequate means available