Dictionary

scribble en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈskɹɪbəl/
• (General-American) audio
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English scriblen, from (1) scrīben + -le and/or (2) Latin scrībillō (found in conscrībillō), from cōnscrībō, from scrībō (“write”), equivalent to scribe + -le (frequentative suffix).

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) Careless, hasty writing, doodle or drawing

Forms

Deriveds

scribble lark · scribble-scrabble

Synonyms

squiggle · doodle

Translations (35)

de Kritzelei (hastily done writing) · fo kattarklór (hastily done writing) · fr pieds de mouche (hastily done writing) · fi töherrys (hastily done writing) · ca garramanxo (hastily done writing) · es garabateo (hastily done writing) · es garrapato (hastily done writing) · ca gargot (hastily done writing) · ceb kuriskuris (hastily done writing) · fr gribouillis (hastily done writing) · fo rusl (hastily done writing) · kk шатпақ (hastily done writing) · pl bazgranina (hastily done writing) · fr pattes de mouche (hastily done writing) · az cızma-qara (hastily done writing) · ta கிறுக்கு (hastily done writing) · fo krakuklór (hastily done writing) · fr griffonnage (hastily done writing) · pl pisanina (hastily done writing) · de Gekritzel (hastily done writing) · he שרבוט (hastily done writing) · fr gribouillage (hastily done writing) · de Gekrakel (hastily done writing) · mi tuhituhi kōkau (hastily done writing) · bg драсканица (hastily done writing) · fo krutl (hastily done writing) · ar خربشة (hastily done writing) · pt garrancho (hastily done writing) · de Krakelei (hastily done writing) · it scarabocchio (hastily done writing) · pl bazgroły (hastily done writing) · fi tuherrus (hastily done writing) · eo skribaĉo (hastily done writing) · de Geschmier (hastily done writing) · es garabato (hastily done writing)

scribble en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /ˈskɹɪbəl/
• (General-American) audio
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English scriblen, from (1) scrīben + -le and/or (2) Latin scrībillō (found in conscrībillō), from cōnscrībō, from scrībō (“write”), equivalent to scribe + -le (frequentative suffix).

Meanings

1. (ambitransitive) To write or draw carelessly and in a hurry.
   • I suddenly remembered I needed to buy bleach, so scribbled it down on my shopping list.
2. To doodle.
3. To write badly; to work as an inferior author or journalist.

Forms

Coordinates

jot (write hurriedly)

Deriveds

scribble down · scribbler · scribble off · scribbleress · multo-scribbling · transcribble

Relateds

scribe

Synonyms

scrabble · scrawl (all senses)

Translations (60)

fi kirjoitella (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · fi tuhertaa (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · fr scribouiller (to write badly) · he שרבט (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · ru шкря́бать (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · pt rabiscar (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · es escarabajear (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · pt garranchar (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · hu firkál (to doodle) · de kritzeln (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · pt rabiscar (to doodle) · hu firkál (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · es garrapatear (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · fr gribouiller (to write badly) · ny kulémba (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · it scarabocchiare (to doodle) · fr griffonner (to write badly) · pl bazgrać (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · ca fer gargots (to doodle) · es garabatear (to doodle) · fr gribouiller (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · bg дра́скам (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · hy խզբզել (to doodle) · hy խզբզել (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · es garrapatear (to doodle) · fi tuhertaa (to doodle) · pl gryzmolić (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · tr karalamak (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · sv krafsa (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · es garabatear (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · bg дра́щя (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · ca gargotejar (to doodle) · ru цара́пать (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · fi töhertää (to doodle) · io skribachar (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · he קִשְׁקֵשׁ (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · ca fer gargots (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · he שרבט (to doodle) · bg пиша небрежно (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · it scarabocchiare (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · ca gargotejar (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · eo skribaĉi (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · ta கிறுக்கு (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · afb شخبط (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · es borrajear (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · bg дра́щя (to write badly) · it schiccherare (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · vi viết cẩu thả (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · yi אָנפּאַטשקען (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · bg драскам си (to doodle) · fr grabouiller (to write badly) · fr gribouiller (to doodle) · ru мара́ть бума́гу (to doodle) · de krakeln (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · fr grabouiller (to doodle) · es borronear (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · fr griffonner (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · vi viết nguệch ngoạc (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry) · ny kulémbalemba (to doodle) · de schmieren (to write or draw carelessly and in a hurry)

scribble en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /ˈskɹɪbəl/
• (General-American) audio
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Dutch schribbelen (“to scratch”), from Middle Dutch schrobben (“to scrub, scrape, scratch”), variant of schrapen, schrappen. Related to scrub.

Meanings

1. (obsolete, transitive) To card or tease (wool) coarsely; to run through a scribbler.

Forms