scrabble Definition
- 1to scratch or scrape at something with one's fingers or nails
- 2to struggle or scramble to move quickly
- 3a word game in which two to four players score points by placing tiles, each bearing a single letter, onto a game board divided into a 15×15 grid of squares
Using scrabble: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "scrabble" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
She scrabbled at the dirt with her bare hands.
Example
The climbers scrabbled up the steep cliff.
Example
We spent the afternoon playing Scrabble.
Example
He won the game of Scrabble with a high score.
scrabble Synonyms and Antonyms
Idioms Using scrabble
Example
The homeless people were engaged in a scrabble for existence on the streets.
Example
The children were scrabbling around in the mud looking for worms.
Example
He scrabbled his way up the steep slope to reach the summit.
Phrases with scrabble
Example
The company is scrabbling for new ways to increase profits.
scrabble around/about
to move around quickly and clumsily, especially while searching for something
Example
I was scrabbling around in my bag looking for my keys.
Example
We managed to scrabble together enough money to pay the rent.
Origins of scrabble
from Middle English 'scrabelen', meaning 'to scratch'
Summary: scrabble in Brief
The verb 'scrabble' [ˈskrabəl] means to scratch or scrape with one's fingers or nails, or to struggle or scramble to move quickly. The noun 'scrabble' refers to a word game played by placing lettered tiles on a board to form words. Phrases like 'scrabble for something' and 'scrabble around/about' denote searching or gathering with difficulty, while idioms like 'a scrabble for existence' and 'scrabble one's way up' imply a difficult struggle.
