scrabble

(skrăb'əl)

v., -bled, -bling, -bles.

v.intr.

1. To scrape or grope about frenetically with the hands.
2. To struggle by or as if by scraping or groping.
3. To climb with scrambling, disorderly haste; clamber.
4. To make hasty, disordered markings; scribble.

v.tr.

1. To make or obtain by scraping together hastily.
2. To scribble on or over.

n.

1. The act or an instance of scrabbling.
2. A scribble; a doodle.

[Dutch schrabbelen, from Middle Dutch, frequentative of schrabben, to scrape.]

scrabbler scrab'bler n.
scrabbly scrab'bly adj.

(SKRAB-uhl)
verb tr., intr.
1. To scratch or scrape, as with claws or hands.
2. To struggle to obtain something not easily available.
3. To climb over something hastily or clumsily.
4. To scribble.

noun
The act of scratching, scraping, struggling, scribbling, climbing, etc. frantically, desperately, or with difficulty.

Etymology
From Dutch schrabbelen, from schrabben (to scrape or scratch)

Usage
"The chances are slim to non-existent that enough votes could be scrabbled together to destroy Prodi's lead of 25,000 seats in the Chamber." — Michael Braun; You Thought You Had Got Rid of Me?; Spiegel (Hamburg, Germany); Apr 13, 2006.

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Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The verb has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: feel searchingly
  Synonym: grope for

Meaning #2: write down quickly without much attention to detail
  Synonym: scribble

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Dansk (Danish)
v. intr. - skrabe, rode, kravle, klatre
v. tr. - skrabe sammen, kradse, klatre på
n. - kragetæer, kradseri, krible-kryds

Nederlands (Dutch)
graaien, vechten, klauteren, slordig schrijven, gegraai, gekrabbel

Français (French)
v. intr. - fouiller, gratter, gribouiller, griffonner
v. tr. - fouiller, gratter
n. - Scrabble, gribouillage, mêlée

Deutsch (German)
n. - Scrabble (Buchstabenspiel)
v. - scharren, kratzen

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - σταυρόλεξο με ψηφίδες (επιτραπέζιο παιχνίδι)
v. - (ορνιθο)σκαλίζω, αρμαθιάζω

Italiano (Italian)
grattare, raspare, rovistare, scarabocchiare, scarabocchio

Português (Portuguese)
n. - rabisco (m), luta confusa (f), avanço em terreno difícil (m)
v. - rabiscar

Русский (Russian)
возня, барахтанье, карабканье, каракули, рыться в поисках (чего-л.), скрестись, писать каракулями, делать надписи, пробираться

Español (Spanish)
v. intr. - garabatear, borronear, emborronar papel, trepar, subir trepando
v. tr. - escarbar, garabatear, borronear, emborronar papel, esforzarse, luchar por recoger o ganar algo
n. - (M.R.) juego de palabras, garabatos, borrón

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - krafsande, Alfabet
v. - krafsa, skrapa, kravla, klottra, klottra på, klottra ner, skrapa ihop, steta för att få tag i

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
乱写, 扒寻, 乱涂, 扒成, 拼凑成, 一种拼字游戏, 抓, 扒

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. intr. - 亂寫, 扒尋, 亂塗
v. tr. - 扒成, 拼湊成
n. - 一種拼字遊戲, 抓, 扒

한국어 (Korean)
v. intr. - (손톱으로) 할퀴다, 휘갈겨 쓰다, 쑤석거려 찾다
v. tr. - 할퀴다, 낙서하다, 헤적여 찾다
n. - 긁기, 낙서, 쟁탈

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - ひっかく, 走り書きする
n. - ひっかくこと, 走り書き, スクラブル

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) كتابه بسرعه, خربشه (فعل) يكتب بسرعه, يخربش‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. intr. - ‮שרבט, קשקש, זחל‬
v. tr. - ‮שרבט, קשקש, חיטט, גירד, חטף, נאבק‬
n. - ‮שרבוט, טיפוס, היאבקות, חטיפה, חיטוט, גירוד, שבץ-נא‬

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Scrabble	Scrabble Dictionary
scrabble	scrabble tiles