I. ˈskram-bəl verb
( scram·bled ; scram·bling -b(ə-)liŋ)
Etymology: perhaps alteration of scrabble (I)
Date: 1568
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to move with urgency or panic
b. : to move or climb hastily on all fours
2.
a. : to struggle eagerly or unceremoniously for possession of something
scramble for front seats
b. : to get or gather something with difficulty or in irregular ways
scramble for a living
3. : to spread or grow irregularly : sprawl , straggle
4. : to take off quickly in response to an alert
5. of a football quarterback : to run with the ball after the pass protection breaks down
transitive verb
1. : to collect by scrambling
2.
a. : to toss or mix together : jumble
b. : to prepare (eggs) by stirring during frying
3. : to cause or order (a fighter-interceptor group) to scramble
4. : to disarrange the elements of a transmission (as a telephone or television signal) in order to make unintelligible to interception
• scram·bler -b(ə-)lər noun
II. noun
Date: 1648
1. : the act or an instance of scrambling
2. : a disordered mass : jumble
a… scramble of patterns and textures — Vogue
3. : a rapid emergency takeoff of fighter-interceptor planes