Dictionary
Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.
scramble en · INTJ
Pronunciation
Etymology
Origin uncertain. Perhaps from earlier dialectal scramble, scrammel (“to collect or rake together with the hands”), from scramb (“to pull or scrape together with the hands”) + -le (frequentative suffix) (compare Dutch schrammen (“to graze, brush, scratch”)); or alternatively from a nasalised form of scrabble (“to scrape or scratch quickly”).
Meanings
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(UK) Shouted when something desirable is thrown into a group of people who individually want that item, causing them to rush for it.
scramble en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
Origin uncertain. Perhaps from earlier dialectal scramble, scrammel (“to collect or rake together with the hands”), from scramb (“to pull or scrape together with the hands”) + -le (frequentative suffix) (compare Dutch schrammen (“to graze, brush, scratch”)); or alternatively from a nasalised form of scrabble (“to scrape or scratch quickly”).
Meanings
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A rush or hurry, especially making use of the limbs against a surface.
a last-minute scramble to the finish line
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An emergency defensive air force mission to intercept attacking enemy aircraft.
1984, Steve Harris, "Aces High", Iron Maiden, Powerslave.
There goes the siren that warns of the air raid / Then comes the sound of the guns sending flak / Out for the scramble we've got to get airborne / Got to get up for the coming attack.
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A motocross race.
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Any frantic period of competitive activity.
And the Leeds defence, led by the impressive Alex Bruce, was also in determined mood. Jonathan Howson had to clear a Sebastien Squillaci effort off his line and Becchio was also in the right place to hack clear after a goalmouth scramble.
2011 January 8, Chris Bevan, “Arsenal 1 – 1 Leeds”, in BBC Sport:[I]n the 575 days since [Oscar] Pistorius shot dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, there has been an unseemly scramble to construct revisionist histories, to identify evidence beneath that placid exterior of a pugnacious, hair-trigger personality.
2014 October 21, Oliver Brown, “Oscar Pistorius jailed for five years – sport afforded no protection against his tragic fallibilities: Bladerunner's punishment for killing Reeva Steenkamp is but a frippery when set against the burden that her bereft parents, June and Barry, must carry [print version: No room for sentimentality in this tragedy, 13 September 2014, p. S22]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Sport):
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(qualifier:gridiron football) An impromptu maneuver or run by a quarterback, attempting to gain yardage or avoid being tackled behind the line of scrimmage.
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A statistic used in assessing a player's short game, consisting of a chip or putt from under 50 yards away that results in requiring one putt or less on the green.
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A variant of golf in which each player in a team tees off on each hole, and the players decide which shot was best. Every player then plays their second shot from within a club length of where the best ball has come to rest, and the procedure is repeated until the hole is finished.
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A dish (meal) involving scrambled eggs and a hodgepodge of complementary ingredients, usually closer to a casserole than to an omelette.
Near-synonym: hash
The diner's menu features "the farmer's scramble" (under all-day breakfast) and "the fisherman's fricassee" (under dinner entrees).
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A venue where enslaved people were auctioned during the Atlantic slave trade.
Forms
Deriveds
ice scramble · scramble net · puck scramble · scramble dinner · scramble competition · scramble crossing
Hyponyms
Scramble for Africa · hare scramble · tofu scramble · lolly scramble · time scramble · pedestrian scramble · kick bollocks scramble
Relateds
sortie
Synonyms
hash
Translations (33)
fr motocross (a motocross race) · ja スクランブル (an emergency defensive air force mission) · de Gerangel (a rush or hurry) · ja 緊急発進 (an emergency defensive air force mission) · de Gedränge (a rush or hurry) · de Ausschwärmen (an emergency defensive air force mission) · hu kapkodás (a rush or hurry) · es arrebato (a rush or hurry) · ru мотого́нки (a motocross race) · ru мотокро́сс (a motocross race) · ru сва́лка (a rush or hurry) · ru ажиота́ж (any frantic period of competitive activity) · sv huggsexa (a rush or hurry) · ru спе́шка (a rush or hurry) · sv rusch (a rush or hurry) · ru запа́рка (any frantic period of competitive activity) · fr interception (an emergency defensive air force mission) · fr bousculade (a rush or hurry) · hu tülekedés (any frantic period of competitive activity) · fi kiire (a rush or hurry) · tr acele etme (a rush or hurry) · sv rusning (a rush or hurry) · ru ажиота́ж (a rush or hurry) · es arrebatiña (a rush or hurry) · hu tolongás (any frantic period of competitive activity) · bg бързане (a rush or hurry) · de Gedrängel (a rush or hurry) · ru взлёт по трево́ге (an emergency defensive air force mission) · tr motokros yarışı (a motocross race) · es rebatiña (a rush or hurry) · hu motokrossz (a motocross race) · de Gerangel (any frantic period of competitive activity) · hu motokrosszverseny (a motocross race)
scramble en · VERB
Pronunciation
Etymology
Origin uncertain. Perhaps from earlier dialectal scramble, scrammel (“to collect or rake together with the hands”), from scramb (“to pull or scrape together with the hands”) + -le (frequentative suffix) (compare Dutch schrammen (“to graze, brush, scratch”)); or alternatively from a nasalised form of scrabble (“to scrape or scratch quickly”).
Meanings
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(intransitive) To move hurriedly to a location, especially by using all limbs against a surface.
When I saw the coffin I knew that I was respited, for, as I judged, there was space between it and the wall behind enough to contain my little carcass; and in a second I had put out the candle, scrambled up the shelves, half-stunned my senses with dashing my head against the roof, and squeezed my body betwixt wall and coffin.
[1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC:As half-time approached Fabregas had another chance to give Barcelona the lead. He collected an incisive Messi pass and this time beat Cech, who required Cole to scramble back and clear the ball off the line.
2012 April 18, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 1 – 0 Barcelona”, in BBC Sport:
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(intransitive) To proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner.
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(of food ingredients, qualifier:usually including egg, transitive) To thoroughly combine and cook as a loose mass.
I scrambled some eggs with spinach and cheese.
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(transitive) To process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener.
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(broadly, transitive) To mix up, to confuse, to mislead.
I don't understand this at all. First, Paige made out with me in the art room, but then she wouldn't hold my hand even though she's the one who came up with the hand-holding rule in the first place, months ago. / Ahh, tale as old as time, beautiful vixen using her wiles to scramble your brains.
2018, Robia Rashid, “Penguin Cam and Chill” (8:07 from the start), in Ryan Case, director, Atypical, season 2, episode 2, spoken by Sam and Zahid (Keir Gilchrist and Nik Dodani), via Netflix:
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(also, broadly, transitive) To quickly deploy (vehicles, usually aircraft) to a destination in response to an alert, usually to intercept an attacking enemy.
But on April 13 it 'scrambled' a rake of Mk 2s and dual-braked 'Black 5' 45212 to start its lucrative summer money-spinner two days later.
2024 May 1, “Network News: West Coast Railways runs 'Jacobite' with Mk 1 and Mk 2 combination”, in RAIL, number 1008, page 9:
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(intransitive) To be quickly deployed in this manner.
As the planes scrambled, four of his veterans went up: Tom Lanphier, Rex Barber, Joe Moore and Jim McLanahan. They had waited with other Lightnings at 30,000 feet and dived on a formation of eleven Zeroes far below, working in pairs.
1969, Burke Davis, Get Yamamoto, page 115:
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(intransitive) To partake in motocross.
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(intransitive) To ascend rocky terrain as a leisure activity.
Seeing some of Britain's most beautiful waterfalls, rivers and pools from the most absurd angles as you scramble your way either up or down a mountain river course.
2007 September 28, “Gorge scrambling”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
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(transitive) To gather or collect by scrambling.
They say we are a scatter'd nation: / I cannot tell, but we have scrambled up / More wealth by far than those that brag of faith.
c. 1589–1590 (date written), Christopher Marlo[we], edited by Tho[mas] Heywood, The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Iew of Malta. […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for Nicholas Vavasour, […], published 1633, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
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(transitive) To struggle eagerly with others for something thrown upon the ground; to go down upon all fours to seize something; to catch rudely at what is desired.
Of other care they little reck'ning make, / Then how to ſcramble at the ſhearers feaſt,
1637 (date written; published 1638), John Milton, “Lycidas”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC, page 62:
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(transitive) To throw something down for others to compete for in this manner.
[…] Father Boniface standing on the verandah of the Monastery on a Sunday afternoon “scrambling” lollies to the kids […]
1952, Walkabout, volume 18, page 40:
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(transitive) To permute parts of a twisty puzzle (especially, Rubik's Cube) until it is ready to be solved from scratch.
Forms
Deriveds
scromlette · scramblase · scrambled eggs · scrambly · descrambler · scramble net · scramble dinner · scramble band · scramble competition · scramble crossing · scrambling · scrambler · scramble up · scramblevision · unscrambler
Synonyms
scrabble · garble
Translations (95)
fr brouiller (to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener) · fi vääristää (to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener) · ru зашифро́вывать (to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener) · hu összekever (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · ru пробира́ться (to proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner) · vi bon chen (to struggle) · gl embarallar (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · tr acele etmek (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · fi rynnätä (to proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner) · ru пробра́ться (to proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner) · hu mászik (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · de kraxeln (to ascend rocky terrain as a leisure activity) · hu tülekedik (to proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner) · ru лезть (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · ru взбира́ться (to ascend rocky terrain as a leisure activity) · gl mexer (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · hu tülekszik (to proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner) · mn хутгалдах (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · gl gatuñar (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · de krabbeln (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · ru подня́ться по трево́ге (to quickly enter vehicles and proceed to destination) · hu nyomakodik (to proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner) · hu kúszik (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · bg катеря се (to ascend rocky terrain as a leisure activity) · pl szyfrować (to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener) · de crossen (to partake in motocross) · fi sekoittaa (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · el περιπλέκω (to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener) · bg разбърквам (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · es gatear (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · ca remenar (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · mk мати (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · hu felver (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · hu kúszik-mászik (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · ru кара́бкаться (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · de vermengen (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · fi könytä (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · de verquirlen (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · gl gavear (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · hu kódol (to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener) · pl zaszyfrować (to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener) · ar تَهَافَتَ (to struggle) · hu rejtjelez (to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener) · tr tırmanmak (to ascend rocky terrain as a leisure activity) · fi kömpiä (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · es intentar resolver chapuceramente (to proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner) · es alterar (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · es complicar (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · de balgen (to struggle) · de klettern (to ascend rocky terrain as a leisure activity) · hu nyomakszik (to proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner) · gl remexer (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · bg боричкам се (to struggle) · de Motocross fahren (to partake in motocross) · fi salata (to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener) · bg кодирам (to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener) · hu tolong (to proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner) · uk вде́ртися (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · hu megrohamoz (to proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner) · ga scrobh (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · es revolver (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · ru зашифрова́ть (to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener) · de rangeln (to struggle) · tr çırpmak (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · pl wyrywać się (to quickly enter vehicles and proceed to destination) · fr se ruer (to proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner) · ru шифрова́ть (to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener) · ru взба́лтывать (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · fr brouiller (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · hu rohan (to proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner) · de verrühren (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · bg ла́зя (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · de verwürfeln (to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener) · ro amesteca (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · pl wyrwać się (to quickly enter vehicles and proceed to destination) · gl avascallar (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · fi kiipeillä (to ascend rocky terrain as a leisure activity) · ru вскара́бкаться (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · fi lähettää (to quickly enter vehicles and proceed to destination) · ru взболта́ть (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · tr çalkalamak (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · mn тэмцэх (to struggle) · de ausschwärmen (to quickly enter vehicles and proceed to destination) · he טָרַף (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · de drängeln (to proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner) · ru зале́зть (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · cs lézt (to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface) · fr faire de l'escalade (to ascend rocky terrain as a leisure activity) · pl zaszyfrowywać (to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener) · hu elkever (to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass) · mn авирах (to ascend rocky terrain as a leisure activity) · fi kompuroida (to proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner) · tr şifreleme (to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener) · eo grimpi (to ascend rocky terrain as a leisure activity) · ru взобра́ться (to ascend rocky terrain as a leisure activity)