In this antonym question, select the word which is most opposite in meaning to the phrasal verb "to rake" in the sense of gathering or pulling things together.

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your understanding of antonyms, that is, words with opposite meanings. The verb "to rake" in this context means to gather, pull together, or collect things such as leaves, soil, or small objects by drawing a rake or similar tool across a surface. You must select the verb whose meaning is opposite to this idea of collecting or drawing together.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The base meaning of "to rake" here is to gather together, as in raking leaves.
• The options given are "to harrow", "to scatter", "to scour", "to enfilade", and "to scrape".
• We must choose the word that reverses the sense of bringing things together.

Concept / Approach:
An antonym should present a clear opposite action. If "to rake" means to pull things into a pile, its opposite is to spread them apart. Among the options, "to scatter" specifically means to throw or spread things far apart in different directions. The other options either describe different agricultural actions, cleaning or searching, or have technical military meanings and do not give a direct opposite to gathering into a heap.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Fix the idea of "to rake" as gathering leaves or objects into a pile. Step 2: Look for an option that represents spreading things out rather than collecting them. Step 3: "To scatter" means to throw, drop, or spread things over a wide area so that they are no longer together. Step 4: "To harrow" is an agricultural term for breaking up soil and is not strictly the opposite of gathering objects. Step 5: "To scour" means to scrub or search thoroughly, which does not oppose the act of collecting. Step 6: "To enfilade" is a military term about firing along the length of a line of troops and is unrelated here. Step 7: "To scrape" is similar to raking in some contexts and not an opposite action.

Verification / Alternative check:
Visualise a garden where someone has raked leaves into a neat pile. The opposite action would be for someone to kick the pile and scatter the leaves all over the lawn. In that mental picture, "scatter" is clearly the opposite of "rake". None of the other options describe this reversal so directly, which confirms that "to scatter" is the true antonym here.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
"To harrow" changes the condition of the soil rather than describing collection or dispersion of objects. "To scour" suggests scrubbing or searching, which may involve movement but not the specific idea of spreading apart what has been collected. "To enfilade" has a technical military meaning and does not relate to everyday actions with objects on the ground. "To scrape" involves moving a tool across a surface, and in many contexts it is similar to raking, not opposite to it.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes choose words that simply sound technical or complex, rather than focusing on the core meaning and its opposite. Another mistake is to ignore the specific sense of the word given in the question. Since "to rake" can have other meanings, such as criticising someone, the context here must be understood as gathering, which points directly to "scatter" as the antonym. Always anchor your choice to the given meaning, not to any vague association with the word.

Final Answer:
The antonym of "to rake" in the sense of gathering is to scatter.