I. ˈskrambəl, -aam- verb
( scrambled ; scrambled ; scrambling -b(ə)liŋ ; scrambles )
Etymology: perhaps alteration of scrabble (I)
intransitive verb
1.
a. : to move or climb hastily on all fours
scramble over rocks
scramble up a steep bank
b. : to move with the urgency of or as if of anxiety or panic
scrambled into his clothes
scrambled to his feet
2.
a. : to struggle eagerly with others for something on the ground
scramble for coins
b. : to struggle or strive unceremoniously for possession of something
scramble for front seats
all the networks scrambled gleefully for the film — Newsweek
c. : to get or gather something with difficulty or in irregular ways
scramble for a living
had to do considerable scrambling to get up the tax money — Newsweek
3.
a. : to spread or grow irregularly : sprawl , ramble , straggle
scrambling frontier town
b. of a plant : to climb upon or over a support — distinguished from twine
4. of an air squadron : to take off with all speed at the reported approach of hostile or unidentified aircraft
transitive verb
1. : to collect by scrambling — used with up or together
scramble up a hasty dinner
2. : to scale or traverse by scrambling
scramble a cliff
3.
a. : to toss or mix together in confusion : throw into disorder : jumble
bad weather scrambled the air schedules
trying to collect his scrambled wits
scramble the pages of a manuscript
b. : to prepare (eggs) by stirring during frying
c. : to make (a telephonic or radio message) unintelligible to interceptors by disarranging the frequencies of the transmission
d. : to effect an interdependent combination of (government-owned and privately owned industrial property)
shipyard facilities have been scrambled through government building on private land
4. : to cause or order (a fighter-interceptor group) to take off quickly in response to an alert
II. noun
( -s )
1. : an act of moving or climbing on all fours
near the top of the hill the climb became a scramble
2.
a. : a jostling and pushing for possession
a scramble for places at the rail
b. : an eager and unceremonious or unscrupulous struggle for possession
unseemly scramble for invitations
a scramble for scarce raw materials
the scramble for Africa
c. : a disorderly or confused progress, race, contest, or proceeding
careful to keep the rapid finale of the symphony from becoming a scramble
3. : a disorderly or jumbled mass
a scramble of tents and huts spread out all over the rocks — Skyways
his plot, which is an improbable scramble of killings — H.A.L.Craig
when you get your wits working on that crazy scramble of letters … sense appears in nonsense — Cryptogram Book
4.
a. chiefly Britain : an engagement with enemy aircraft : dogfight
b. : an emergency takeoff of fighter-interceptor airplanes in the shortest possible time
III. intransitive verb
of a football quarterback : to run with the ball after the pass protection breaks down
IV. noun
1. : a motorcycle race over a rough hilly course
2. : the act or an instance of scrambling by a quarterback