English Dictionary |
SCRAMBLE
Pronunciation (US): | (GB): |
IPA (US): |
Dictionary entry overview: What does scramble mean?
• SCRAMBLE (noun)
The noun SCRAMBLE has 2 senses:
1. an unceremonious and disorganized struggle
2. rushing about hastily in an undignified way
Familiarity information: SCRAMBLE used as a noun is rare.
• SCRAMBLE (verb)
The verb SCRAMBLE has 5 senses:
2. climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling
Familiarity information: SCRAMBLE used as a verb is common.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
An unceremonious and disorganized struggle
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
scramble; scuffle
Hypernyms ("scramble" is a kind of...):
battle; struggle (an energetic attempt to achieve something)
Derivation:
scramble (bring into random order)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Rushing about hastily in an undignified way
Classified under:
Nouns denoting acts or actions
Synonyms:
Hypernyms ("scramble" is a kind of...):
haste; hurry; rush; rushing (the act of moving hurriedly and in a careless manner)
Derivation:
scramble (to move hurriedly)
Conjugation: |
Past simple: scrambled
Past participle: scrambled
-ing form: scrambling
Sense 1
Meaning:
To move hurriedly
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Context example:
The friend scrambled after them
Hypernyms (to "scramble" is one way to...):
go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s PP
Derivation:
scramble (rushing about hastily in an undignified way)
scrambler (a rapid mover; someone who scrambles)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling
Classified under:
Verbs of walking, flying, swimming
Synonyms:
clamber; scramble; shin; shinny; skin; sputter; struggle
Hypernyms (to "scramble" is one way to...):
climb (move with difficulty, by grasping)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s PP
Sense 3
Meaning:
Bring into random order
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Synonyms:
jumble; scramble; throw together
Hypernyms (to "scramble" is one way to...):
disarray; disorder (bring disorder to)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "scramble"):
tumble (throw together in a confused mass)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Sentence example:
The chef wants to scramble the eggs
Derivation:
scramble (an unceremonious and disorganized struggle)
scrambler (electronic equipment that makes speech unintelligible during transmission and restores it at reception)
Sense 4
Meaning:
Stir vigorously
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Synonyms:
beat; scramble
Context example:
beat the cream
Hypernyms (to "scramble" is one way to...):
agitate; commove; disturb; raise up; shake up; stir up; vex (change the arrangement or position of)
Domain category:
cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "scramble"):
whip; whisk (whip with or as if with a wire whisk)
cream (make creamy by beating)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Sense 5
Meaning:
Make unintelligible
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Context example:
scramble the message so that nobody can understand it
Hypernyms (to "scramble" is one way to...):
alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)
Sentence frame:
Somebody ----s something
Antonym:
unscramble (make intelligible)
Derivation:
scrambler (electronic equipment that makes speech unintelligible during transmission and restores it at reception)
Context examples
We lived much as before, in reference to our scrambling household arrangements; but I had got used to those, and Dora I was pleased to see was seldom vexed now.
(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)
Without a pause I rushed up to the east window, and scrambled down the wall, as before, into the Count's room.
(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)
White Fang, snarling fiercely, scrambled backward for several yards, while Matt stooped and investigated his leg.
(White Fang, by Jack London)
She snorted and tried to scramble away.
(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)
I scrambled forward and looked over.
(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)
Round after round he scrambled his way in, slap-bang, right and left, every hit tremendously sent home.
(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
Then the dog snapped it up, and scrambled away with it into a corner, where he soon ate it all up.
(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)
I scrambled down on to the path.
(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)
They watched him scramble backward into the thicket, then proceeded on their way.
(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)
When they were done we threw down some flowers, and saw them scramble for them, kiss their hands to the invisible ladies, and go laughing away, to smoke and drink beer, I suppose.
(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)
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