scrawl
- to write or draw in a sprawling, awkward manner: He scrawled his name hastily across the blackboard.
- to write awkwardly, carelessly, or illegibly.
- awkward, careless, or illegible handwriting.
- something scrawled, as a letter or a note.
Origin of scrawl
Examples from the Web for scrawl
Contemporary Examples of scrawl
Artists would use pen names and scrawl them across subway cars, walls, shops, and office buildings.
I felt the power in my fingernails to brand the earth with my own scrawl.
Historical Examples of scrawl
That's Joe's own scrawl, and there ain't a worse from this to himself.
A Day's RideCharles James Lever
The senator's son read the scrawl, and his face showed his disgust.
Dave Porter At Bear CampEdward Stratemeyer
Then, at last, he had gathered strength enough to scrawl these lines.
SacrificeStephen French Whitman
He preferred to scrawl his initials to any typewritten letter which I prepared.
The Minister of EvilWilliam Le Queux
You must not mind the badness of my scrawl: and let me hear from you.
Memoirs of the Courts and Cabinets of George the ThirdThe Duke of Buckingham and Chandos
scrawl
- to write or draw (signs, words, etc) carelessly or hastily; scribble
- careless or scribbled writing, drawing, or marks
Word Origin for scrawl
Word Origin and History for scrawl
1610s, "write or draw untidily," of uncertain origin, perhaps from Middle English scrawlen "spread out the limbs, sprawl" (early 15c.), which possibly is an alteration of sprawlen (see sprawl (v.)) or crawl (v.). Related: Scrawled; scrawling. The noun is recorded from 1690s, from the verb. Meaning "bad handwriting" is from 1710.