scramble

English

Etymology

Origin uncertain. Compare earlier dialectal scramb (“pull with hands”).

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -æmbəl

Interjection

scramble!

1. (UK) shouted when something desirable is thrown into a group of people who individually want that item.

Verb

scramble (third-person singular simple present scrambles, present participle scrambling, simple past and past participle scrambled)

1. To move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface.
   • 1898, J. Meade Falkner, Moonfleet Chapter 3

     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.

2. To proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner.
3. To mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass.
4. To process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener.
5. (military) To quickly enter vehicles, usually aircraft, and proceed to a destination in response to an alert, usually to intercept an attacking enemy.
6. (sports) To partake in motocross
7. To ascend rocky terrain as a leisure activity

Translations

to move hurriedly to a location using all limbs against a surface

Finnish: könytä (fi)

Spanish: gatear (es)

to proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner

Finnish: rynnätä (fi), kompuroida (fi) French: se ruer (fr)

Russian: пробираться (ru)

to mix food ingredients in a mix to be cooked into a loose mass

Finnish: sekoittaa (fi) French: brouiller (fr)

Macedonian: мати (mk) (máti) Spanish: revolver (es)

to process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligable to an unauthorized listener

Finnish: salata (fi)

French: brouiller (fr)

to quickly enter vehicles and proceed to destination

to partake in motocross

To ascend rocky terrain as a leisure activity

Finnish: kiipeillä (fi)

Derived terms

• scrambled eggs

Noun

scramble (plural scrambles)

1. A rush or hurry
2. (military) An emergency defensive air force mission to intercept attacking enemy aircraft.
3. A motocross race
4. Any frantic period of activity.
   • 2011 January 8, Chris Bevan, “Arsenal 1 - 1 Leeds”, BBC:

     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.

Antonyms

• sortie

Translations

A rush or hurry

Finnish: kiire (fi)

French: bousculade (fr) f.

An emergency defensive air force mission

French: interception (fr) f.

A motocross race

French: motocross (fr) m.

Anagrams

• clambers