SCRAMBLE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does scramble mean? 

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

1. an unceremonious and disorganized struggle

2. rushing about hastily in an undignified way

  Familiarity information: SCRAMBLE used as a noun is rare.

• SCRAMBLE (verb)
  The verb SCRAMBLE has 5 senses:

1. to move hurriedly

2. climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling

3. bring into random order

4. stir vigorously

5. make unintelligible

  Familiarity information: SCRAMBLE used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SCRAMBLE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An unceremonious and disorganized struggle

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

scramble; scuffle

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

battle; struggle (an energetic attempt to achieve something)

Derivation:

scramble (bring into random order)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Rushing about hastily in an undignified way

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

scamper; scramble; scurry

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

haste; hurry; rush; rushing (the act of moving hurriedly and in a careless manner)

Derivation:

scramble (to move hurriedly)

• SCRAMBLE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they scramble    ... he / she / it scrambles   
Past simple: scrambled   
Past participle: scrambled   
-ing form: scrambling   

Sense 1

Meaning:

To move hurriedly

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

The friend scrambled after them

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

go; locomote; move; travel (change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

scramble (rushing about hastily in an undignified way)

scrambler (a rapid mover; someone who scrambles)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Climb awkwardly, as if by scrambling

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

clamber; scramble; shin; shinny; skin; sputter; struggle

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

climb (move with difficulty, by grasping)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s PP

Sense 3

Meaning:

Bring into random order

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

jumble; scramble; throw together

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

disarray; disorder (bring disorder to)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "scramble"):

tumble (throw together in a confused mass)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

The chef wants to scramble the eggs

Derivation:

scramble (an unceremonious and disorganized struggle)

scrambler (electronic equipment that makes speech unintelligible during transmission and restores it at reception)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Stir vigorously

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

beat; scramble

Context example:

beat the cream

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

agitate; commove; disturb; raise up; shake up; stir up; vex (change the arrangement or position of)

Domain category:

cookery; cooking; preparation (the act of preparing something (as food) by the application of heat)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "scramble"):

whip; whisk (whip with or as if with a wire whisk)

cream (make creamy by beating)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Make unintelligible

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

scramble the message so that nobody can understand it

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

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Antonym:

unscramble (make intelligible)

Derivation:

scrambler (electronic equipment that makes speech unintelligible during transmission and restores it at reception)

 Context examples 

We lived much as before, in reference to our scrambling household arrangements; but I had got used to those, and Dora I was pleased to see was seldom vexed now.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Without a pause I rushed up to the east window, and scrambled down the wall, as before, into the Count's room.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

White Fang, snarling fiercely, scrambled backward for several yards, while Matt stooped and investigated his leg.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

She snorted and tried to scramble away.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

I scrambled forward and looked over.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

Round after round he scrambled his way in, slap-bang, right and left, every hit tremendously sent home.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Then the dog snapped it up, and scrambled away with it into a corner, where he soon ate it all up.

(Fairy Tales, by The Brothers Grimm)

I scrambled down on to the path.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

They watched him scramble backward into the thicket, then proceeded on their way.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

When they were done we threw down some flowers, and saw them scramble for them, kiss their hands to the invisible ladies, and go laughing away, to smoke and drink beer, I suppose.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)