Scrabble
verb
To search quickly and with difficulty, often using your hands in a desperate manner.
She was scrabbling in her purse looking for her keys.
Often appears as...
- scrabble around
- scrabble for
verb
To climb or move quickly but with difficulty, often using your hands to help.
He managed to scrabble up the hill despite the slippery conditions.
Often appears as...
- scrabble up
- scrabble along
noun
A fast, hurried search often involving a struggle.
There was a desperate scrabble for the gun on the floor.
Often appears as...
- scrabble for
- desperate scrabble
noun
A word game in which players use random lettered tiles to create words in a crossword fashion.
We spent the evening playing Scrabble.
Often appears as...
- play scrabble
- scrabble game
verb
To search quickly and with difficulty, often using your hands in a desperate manner.
She was scrabbling in her purse looking for her keys.
Often appears as...
- scrabble around
- scrabble for
verb
To climb or move quickly but with difficulty, often using your hands to help.
He managed to scrabble up the hill despite the slippery conditions.
Often appears as...
- scrabble up
- scrabble along
noun
A fast, hurried search often involving a struggle.
There was a desperate scrabble for the gun on the floor.
Often appears as...
- scrabble for
- desperate scrabble
noun
A word game in which players use random lettered tiles to create words in a crossword fashion.
We spent the evening playing Scrabble.
Often appears as...
- play scrabble
- scrabble game
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/2Desperate Searching
Use when someone is desperately looking for something, often in a chaotic way.
He was scrabbling for his phone in the mess of his room.
Pro Tip 2/2Hasty Movement
Implies quick, uncoordinated movements, usually in a state of urgency or panic.
She scrabbled at the lock with shaking hands.
Pro Tip 1/2Desperate Searching
Use when someone is desperately looking for something, often in a chaotic way.
He was scrabbling for his phone in the mess of his room.
Pro Tip 2/2Hasty Movement
Implies quick, uncoordinated movements, usually in a state of urgency or panic.
She scrabbled at the lock with shaking hands.
Pro Tip 1/2Desperate Searching
Use when someone is desperately looking for something, often in a chaotic way.
He was scrabbling for his phone in the mess of his room.
Pro Tip 2/2Hasty Movement
Implies quick, uncoordinated movements, usually in a state of urgency or panic.
She scrabbled at the lock with shaking hands.
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Video examples
The myth of Jason,...
but Medea had prepared him for this task as well. Hurling a heavy stone she had given him into their midst, the fighters turned on themselves as they scrabbled for it, letting him slip by the fray. For the third task,
Video examples
Discovering Homo Naledi:...
There I sat in the dark looking at this impossible route. How in the world was I going to accomplish an expedition and excavation here? Forty five minutes or so go by and I hear scrabbling. Matthew's head pops up.
Video examples
Monkey Cuisine PIPE Secret...
very special understanding of behavior in primates and a particular Jones macaws these two here of scrabbling I'll tell you about it quiet down chats
Video examples
Felix Dennis' odes to...
We craved but to favor the hem of her dress. We dabbled and babbled, Denying our thirsts. But always we scrabbled to lie with her first.
Video examples
The myth of Jason,...
but Medea had prepared him for this task as well. Hurling a heavy stone she had given him into their midst, the fighters turned on themselves as they scrabbled for it, letting him slip by the fray. For the third task,
Video examples
Discovering Homo Naledi:...
There I sat in the dark looking at this impossible route. How in the world was I going to accomplish an expedition and excavation here? Forty five minutes or so go by and I hear scrabbling. Matthew's head pops up.
Video examples
Monkey Cuisine PIPE Secret...
very special understanding of behavior in primates and a particular Jones macaws these two here of scrabbling I'll tell you about it quiet down chats
Video examples
Felix Dennis' odes to...
We craved but to favor the hem of her dress. We dabbled and babbled, Denying our thirsts. But always we scrabbled to lie with her first.
Example 1 of 4
Quote examples
Tom Hollander
English Actor
When we get christened or married or die, we drift naturally in the direction of the church. And in moments of crisis, when our spiritual Tom-Tom is no longer telling us what to do, we find ourselves scrabbling at the vicarage door.
Quote examples
Sargent Shriver
American Politician
As far as I was concerned, the Depression was an ill wind that blew some good. If it hadn't occurred, my parents would have given me my college education. As it was, I had to scrabble for it.
Quote examples
Roisin Murphy
Irish Musician
I've not got any terrible stories of what I had to do to scrabble my way to the top, obviously, because I didn't scrabble my way to the top. I just scrabbled my way to the middle!
Quote examples
Nina Bawden
British Writer
I wanted to be a war reporter - scrabbling around, exposing things. I didn't want to go to university, I wanted to get a job, but Auntie Beryl said I should go to Oxford.
Quote examples
Daniel Hannan
British Politician
Progressives and conservatives alike lean, unconsciously, towards particular conclusions, and then scrabble around to rationalise those conclusions to themselves.
Quote examples
Allison Pearson
Welsh Author
It's not easy to reach the summit of your career by the age of 24 - and for the years after to be a humiliating scrabble downhill.
Quote examples
Laurence Fox
English Actor
I'm useless scrabbling around at home. I get on everyone's nerves, including my own. I'm not very good at amusing myself.
Quote examples
Fran Lebowitz
American Journalist
Children are the most desirable opponents at scrabble as they are both easy to beat and fun to cheat.
Quote examples
Tom Hollander
English Actor
When we get christened or married or die, we drift naturally in the direction of the church. And in moments of crisis, when our spiritual Tom-Tom is no longer telling us what to do, we find ourselves scrabbling at the vicarage door.
Quote examples
Sargent Shriver
American Politician
As far as I was concerned, the Depression was an ill wind that blew some good. If it hadn't occurred, my parents would have given me my college education. As it was, I had to scrabble for it.
Quote examples
Roisin Murphy
Irish Musician
I've not got any terrible stories of what I had to do to scrabble my way to the top, obviously, because I didn't scrabble my way to the top. I just scrabbled my way to the middle!
Quote examples
Nina Bawden
British Writer
I wanted to be a war reporter - scrabbling around, exposing things. I didn't want to go to university, I wanted to get a job, but Auntie Beryl said I should go to Oxford.
Quote examples
Daniel Hannan
British Politician
Progressives and conservatives alike lean, unconsciously, towards particular conclusions, and then scrabble around to rationalise those conclusions to themselves.
Quote examples
Allison Pearson
Welsh Author
It's not easy to reach the summit of your career by the age of 24 - and for the years after to be a humiliating scrabble downhill.
Quote examples
Laurence Fox
English Actor
I'm useless scrabbling around at home. I get on everyone's nerves, including my own. I'm not very good at amusing myself.
Quote examples
Fran Lebowitz
American Journalist
Children are the most desirable opponents at scrabble as they are both easy to beat and fun to cheat.
Example 1 of 8
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