SCRABBLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does Scrabble mean? 

• SCRABBLE (noun)
  The noun SCRABBLE has 2 senses:

1. an aimless drawing

2. a board game in which words are formed from letters in patterns similar to a crossword puzzle; each letter has a value and those values are used to score the game

  Familiarity information: SCRABBLE used as a noun is rare.

• SCRABBLE (verb)
  The verb SCRABBLE has 2 senses:

1. feel searchingly

2. write down quickly without much attention to detail

  Familiarity information: SCRABBLE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SCRABBLE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An aimless drawing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

doodle; scrabble; scribble

Hypernyms ("scrabble" is a kind of...):

drawing (a representation of forms or objects on a surface by means of lines)

Derivation:

scrabble (write down quickly without much attention to detail)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A board game in which words are formed from letters in patterns similar to a crossword puzzle; each letter has a value and those values are used to score the game

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("Scrabble" is a kind of...):

word game (any game involving the formation or alteration or discovery of words)

board game (a game played on a specially designed board)

Domain usage:

trademark (a formally registered symbol identifying the manufacturer or distributor of a product)

• SCRABBLE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they scrabble    ... he / she / it scrabbles   
Past simple: scrabbled   
Past participle: scrabbled   
-ing form: scrabbling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Feel searchingly

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

grope for; scrabble

Context example:

She groped for his keys in the dark

Hypernyms (to "scrabble" is one way to...):

feel (grope or feel in search of something)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Write down quickly without much attention to detail

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

scrabble; scribble

Hypernyms (to "scrabble" is one way to...):

write (communicate or express by writing)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

scrabble (an aimless drawing)

 Context examples 

As Meg appeared, Scrabble whisked into his hole.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

As this is to be a scribble-scrabble letter, I direct it to you, for it may amuse you, and give you some idea of my goings on, for though quiet, they are rather amusing, for which, oh, be joyful!

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

In it she kept her papers, and a few books, safely shut away from Scrabble, who, being likewise of a literary turn, was fond of making a circulating library of such books as were left in his way by eating the leaves.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

For two or three hours the sun lay warmly in the high window, showing Jo seated on the old sofa, writing busily, with her papers spread out upon a trunk before her, while Scrabble, the pet rat, promenaded the beams overhead, accompanied by his oldest son, a fine young fellow, who was evidently very proud of his whiskers.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

So Meg went away to 'accept with thanks', look over her dress, and sing blithely as she did up her one real lace frill, while Jo finished her story, her four apples, and had a game of romps with Scrabble.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)