Dictionary

shamble en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• [ˈʃʰæmbəl] ~ [ˈʃʰæmbl̩] without æ-raising
• (US) audio
• /ˈʃæmbəl/ without æ-raising
• [ˈʃeə̯mbəl] ~ [ˈʃeə̯mbl̩] (Canada, US)
• /ˈʃeə̯mbəl/ (Canada, US)
• [ˈʃɛə̯mbəl] ~ [ˈʃɛə̯mbl̩] (Canada, US)
• /ˈʃɛə̯mbəl/ (Canada, US)

Etymology

From Middle English schambyll, shamyll, schamel, from Old English sċeamol, scamol (“bench, stool”), from Proto-West Germanic *skamul, *skamil, from Proto-Germanic *skamulaz, *skamilaz, from Latin scamellum, a variant of scabellum (“footstool”). Cognate with West Frisian skammel (“shamble, trestle, stool", also (in the plural) "legs, especially when showing defects or deformities”), Dutch schemel (“footstool, bench”), German Schemel (“stool”), Danish skammel (“stool”). Icelandic skemill (“footstool”). The verb is probably derived from the adjective, itself from attributive use of the noun. Compare West Frisian skammelje (“to walk with a swaying gait, especially on deformed legs”).

Meanings

1. (not-comparable, rare) Shambling, awkward, ungainly; distorted, ill-shapen, wry.
   • His awkward stagger is due to his shamble legs.

shamble en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• [ˈʃʰæmbəl] ~ [ˈʃʰæmbl̩] without æ-raising
• (US) audio
• /ˈʃæmbəl/ without æ-raising
• [ˈʃeə̯mbəl] ~ [ˈʃeə̯mbl̩] (Canada, US)
• /ˈʃeə̯mbəl/ (Canada, US)
• [ˈʃɛə̯mbəl] ~ [ˈʃɛə̯mbl̩] (Canada, US)
• /ˈʃɛə̯mbəl/ (Canada, US)

Etymology

From Middle English schambyll, shamyll, schamel, from Old English sċeamol, scamol (“bench, stool”), from Proto-West Germanic *skamul, *skamil, from Proto-Germanic *skamulaz, *skamilaz, from Latin scamellum, a variant of scabellum (“footstool”). Cognate with West Frisian skammel (“shamble, trestle, stool", also (in the plural) "legs, especially when showing defects or deformities”), Dutch schemel (“footstool, bench”), German Schemel (“stool”), Danish skammel (“stool”). Icelandic skemill (“footstool”). The verb is probably derived from the adjective, itself from attributive use of the noun. Compare West Frisian skammelje (“to walk with a swaying gait, especially on deformed legs”).

Meanings

1. One of a succession of niches or platforms, one above another, to hold ore which is thrown successively from platform to platform, and thus raised to a higher level.

Forms

Relateds

shambles · stumble

shamble en · VERB

Pronunciation

• [ˈʃʰæmbəl] ~ [ˈʃʰæmbl̩] without æ-raising
• (US) audio
• /ˈʃæmbəl/ without æ-raising
• [ˈʃeə̯mbəl] ~ [ˈʃeə̯mbl̩] (Canada, US)
• /ˈʃeə̯mbəl/ (Canada, US)
• [ˈʃɛə̯mbəl] ~ [ˈʃɛə̯mbl̩] (Canada, US)
• /ˈʃɛə̯mbəl/ (Canada, US)

Etymology

From Middle English schambyll, shamyll, schamel, from Old English sċeamol, scamol (“bench, stool”), from Proto-West Germanic *skamul, *skamil, from Proto-Germanic *skamulaz, *skamilaz, from Latin scamellum, a variant of scabellum (“footstool”). Cognate with West Frisian skammel (“shamble, trestle, stool", also (in the plural) "legs, especially when showing defects or deformities”), Dutch schemel (“footstool, bench”), German Schemel (“stool”), Danish skammel (“stool”). Icelandic skemill (“footstool”). The verb is probably derived from the adjective, itself from attributive use of the noun. Compare West Frisian skammelje (“to walk with a swaying gait, especially on deformed legs”).

Meanings

1. To walk while shuffling or dragging the feet.
   • I wasn't too impressed with the fellow, when he shambled in unenthusiastically and an hour late.
   • The old black, not in any very high glee at having been previously roused from his warm hammock at a most unseasonable hour, came shambling along from his galley, for, like many old blacks, there was something the matter with his knee-pans, which he did not keep well scoured like his other pans; [...] 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter 64, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC, page 328:

Forms

Deriveds

shambler · shambly

Relateds

shambolic · amble

Synonyms

stagger · shuffle

Translations (20)

ar مَشَى يَجُرُّ قَدَمَيْهِ (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · de schleichen (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · cs courat se (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · fi raahustaa (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · de schlurfen (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · fi laahustaa (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · nl sloffen (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · mi hōnekeneke (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · uk волочитися (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · nmn ʘxúũ (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · nn subba (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · uk тягтися (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · es arrastrar los pies (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · de watscheln (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · ru ша́ркать (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · cs šourat se (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · bg влача се (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · bg тътря си краката (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · mi pīkari (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet) · uk незграбно йти (to walk while shuffling or dragging the feet)