Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
Scouter
Scouting
scoutmaster
scow
scowl
SCPO
SCPS
SCR
scrabble
scrabbly
scrag
scraggly
scraggy
scram
scramble
scrambled eggs
scrambler
Click to move down the list of words
Print Preview
See pronunciation key
Search for "scrabble" in all of MSN Encarta
E-mail this entry
Blog about this entry on MSN Spaces
Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

scrabble

scrab·ble [ skrább'l ]


verb  (past and past participle scrab·bled, present participle scrab·bling, 3rd person present singular scrab·bles)
Definition:
 
1. intransitive verb scratch at something: to scrape or scratch at something with small, hurried movements of the fingers, toes, or claws
The cat was scrabbling at the door.

2. intransitive verb feel with fingers: to grope around frantically in an effort to find something
She scrabbled around trying to find the flashlight.

3. intransitive verb climb over something: to climb hastily or clumsily up or over something

4. intransitive verb struggle to get something: to struggle desperately to get something
scrabbling for enough money to make ends meet

5. transitive verb produce something with difficulty: to produce something hastily and with difficulty from scarce resources
scrabble together a meal

6. transitive and intransitive verb scribble: to scribble something



noun  (plural scrab·bles)
Definition:
 
1. act of scratching: a scraping or scratching at something with short hurried movements of the fingers, toes, or claws

2. a search with fingers: a frantic groping around in an effort to find something

3. hasty climb: a climb up or over something, performed hastily or clumsily

4. desperate struggle: a desperate struggle to acquire or gain something

5. scribbling: a scribbling of something

6. something scribbled: something that somebody has scribbled

[Mid-16th century. < Middle Dutch schrabbelen "scratch repeatedly" < schrabben "scratch, scrape"]

scrab·bler noun
Advertisement

Also on Encarta
Englishtown: Learn English online
Our Partners
Also on MSN
Encarta Message Boards (© Rubberball/Jupiterimages)
MSN Shopping
Upgrade your Encarta experience
Encarta RSS Feeds
© 2008 Microsoft