Scramble Meaning
/ˈskɹæmbl̩/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
verbTo move hurriedly to a location, especially by using all limbs against a surface.
verbTo proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner.
Sentence Examples
The scramble for Africa was the last wave of colonialism.
We had to scramble.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The frightened hikers will ____ up the steep hill to escape the rising flood.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The children began to ____ up the rocky hillside, eager to reach the summit.
Word Origin & History
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”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"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:
"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:
"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:
"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:
"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:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The frightened hikers will ____ up the steep hill to escape the rising flood.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The children began to ____ up the rocky hillside, eager to reach the summit.