scramble
Americanverb (used without object)
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to climb or move quickly using one's hands and feet, as down a rough incline.
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to compete or struggle with others for possession or gain.
The children scrambled for the coins we tossed.
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to move hastily and with urgency.
She scrambled into her coat and ran out the door.
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Military. (of pilots or aircraft) to take off as quickly as possible to intercept enemy planes.
verb (used with object)
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to collect or organize (things) in a hurried or disorderly manner (often followed by together orup ).
He scrambled the papers up from the desk. I scrambled the report together at the last minute.
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to mix together confusedly.
The teacher has hopelessly scrambled our names and faces.
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to cause to move hastily, as if in panic.
He scrambled everyone out of the burning building.
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to cook (eggs) in a pan while stirring, usually after mixing whites and yolks together.
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to make (a radio or telephonic message) incomprehensible to interceptors by systematically changing the transmission frequencies.
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to mix the elements of (a television signal) so that only subscribers with a decoding box can receive the signal.
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Military. to cause (an intercepting aircraft or pilot) to take off in the shortest possible time, in response to an alert.
noun
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a quick climb or progression over rough, irregular ground.
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a struggle for possession or gain.
a scramble for choice seats in the stadium.
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any disorderly or hasty struggle or proceeding.
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Military. an emergency takeoff of interceptors performed in the shortest possible time.
verb
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(intr) to climb or crawl, esp by using the hands to aid movement
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(intr) to proceed hurriedly or in a disorderly fashion
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to compete with others, esp in a disordered manner
to scramble for a prize
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to deal with hurriedly and unsystematically
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(tr) to throw together in a haphazard manner; jumble
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(tr) to collect in a hurried or disorganized manner
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(tr) to cook (eggs that have been whisked up with milk and seasoning) in a pan containing a little melted butter
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military to order (a crew or aircraft) to take off immediately or (of a crew or aircraft) to take off immediately
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(tr) to render (speech) unintelligible during transmission by means of an electronic scrambler
noun
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the act of scrambling
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a climb over rocks that involves the use of the hands but not ropes, etc
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a disorderly struggle, esp to gain possession
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military an immediate preparation for action, as of crew, aircraft, etc
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a motorcycle rally in which competitors race across rough open ground
Etymology
Origin of scramble
1580–90; blend of dial. scamble to stumble along, and scrabble (in the same sense)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
As American importers scrambled to switch suppliers last year, Asian producers such as Thailand and Vietnam benefitted at the expense of more highly tariffed China.
From BBC
A scrambled form such as "gadcot" technically contains letters from both words, but it is meaningless to listeners.
From Science Daily
Individual governors and state legislatures are also scrambling to fill the void and create coalitions that can mobilize quickly in case of another public health emergency like the pandemic.
From Salon
For several hours on the night of his release, prison officials scrambled to get the detainer removed so he could walk free, according to several sources familiar with the situation.
From Salon
The founders of the company said they hoped to avoid further hikes in the year ahead, while cautioning that a change to tariff rates could scramble that plan.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
