scramble

¹scram·ble

verb \ˈskram-bəl\

scram·bledscram·bling \-b(ə-)liŋ\

Definition of SCRAMBLE

intransitive verb

1

a : to move with urgency or panic

b : to move or climb hastily on all fours

2

a : to struggle eagerly or unceremoniously for possession of something <scramble for front seats>

b : to get or gather something with difficulty or in irregular ways <scramble for a living>

3

: to spread or grow irregularly : sprawl, straggle

4

: to take off quickly in response to an alert

5

of a football quarterback : to run with the ball after the pass protection breaks down

transitive verb

1

: to collect by scrambling

2

a : to toss or mix together : jumble

b : to prepare (eggs) by stirring during frying

3

: to cause or order (a fighter-interceptor group) to scramble

4

: to disarrange the elements of a transmission (as a telephone or television signal) in order to make unintelligible to interception

— scram·bler \-b(ə-)lər\ noun

Examples of SCRAMBLE

1. We scrambled over the boulders and kept climbing up the mountain.
2. He scrambled up the ramp.
3. reporters scrambling to finish stories by deadline
4. Both players scrambled for the ball.
5. News of the factory closing found workers scrambling to find jobs.
6. It started to rain, and we all scrambled for cover.
7. I'll scramble some eggs for breakfast.

Origin of SCRAMBLE

perhaps alteration of ¹scrabble

First Known Use: 1568

Related to SCRAMBLE

Synonyms

clamber, scrabble, climb, swarm

Antonyms

arrange, array, dispose, draw up, marshal (also marshall), order, organize, range, regulate, straighten (up), tidy

Related Words

shimmy, shin, shinny, skin; ascend, breast [chiefly British], free-climb, get up, mount, scale, summit, surmount; claw, sprawl, struggle

Near Antonyms

align (also aline), line, line up, queue; classify, codify, methodize, systematize, systemize; adjust, fix; groom, make up, spruce (up); unscramble

Rhymes with SCRAMBLE

amble, bramble, gamble, gambol, ramble, shamble

²scramble

noun

Definition of SCRAMBLE

1

: the act or an instance of scrambling

2

: a disordered mass : jumble <a…scramble of patterns and textures — Vogue>

3

: a rapid emergency takeoff of fighter-interceptor planes

Examples of SCRAMBLE

1. a quick scramble over boulders
2. the scramble for power in the country
3. a scramble for the ball
4. There was a mad scramble to fill vacant positions at the school.

First Known Use of SCRAMBLE

1648

Related to SCRAMBLE

Synonyms

agglomerate, agglomeration, alphabet soup, assortment, botch, clutter, collage, crazy quilt, farrago, gallimaufry, grab bag, gumbo, hash, hodgepodge, hotchpotch, jambalaya, jumble, jungle, litter, macédoine, medley, mélange, menagerie, miscellanea, mishmash, mixed bag, montage, motley, muddle, olio, olla podrida, omnium-gatherum, pastiche, patchwork, patchwork quilt, potpourri, ragbag, ragout, rummage, salad, salmagundi, miscellany, shuffle, smorgasbord, stew, tumble, variety, welter

Related Words

detritus, notions, oddments, odds and ends, sundries; accumulation, aggregate, aggregation, conglomerate, conglomeration; catchall; admixture, alloy, amalgam, blend, combination, commixture, composite, compound, fusion, intermixture, mix-up; bollix, chaos, confusion, disarrangement, disarray, disorder, dog's breakfast [chiefly British], mess, morass, muddle, shambles; imbroglio, knot, snarl, tangle