I. scrawl 1 /skrɔːl $ skrɒːl/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Origin: Perhaps from crawl , influenced by scrawl 'to lie carelessly' (14-19 centuries) ]
to write in a careless and untidy way, so that your words are not easy to read ⇨ scribble :
He scrawled his name at the bottom.
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THESAURUS
▪ write to use a pen or pencil to make words, letters etc:
Have you written a shopping list?
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The children are learning to read and write.
▪ write something down to write something on paper, in order to remember it or make a record:
He wrote down everything she said.
▪ put to write something in a particular place, or to write particular words:
I’ve put the dates of the meetings in my diary.
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At the end of the email she put ‘PS I love you’.
▪ put something in writing to write something that you have agreed or promised, so that there is an official record:
They said they would pay me 50%, but they haven’t actually put it in writing.
▪ make a note of something to write information that you might need later:
I’ll just make a note of your address.
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Make a note in your diary.
▪ take notes to write things while someone is speaking or while something is happening, so that you can use them later:
His lawyer was with him taking notes.
▪ scrawl /skrɔːl $ skrɒːl/ to write something carelessly and untidily, especially in big letters – often used to show disapproval:
Someone had scrawled graffiti on the school wall.
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He’d scrawled a few unhelpful comments at the bottom of my work.
▪ fill something in/out to write information on a form or other official document:
Please fill in the application form in black ink.
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Would you mind filling out a questionnaire?
▪ sign to write your name at the end of a letter, document etc:
Read the contract carefully, and then sign it.
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Don’t forget to sign your name.
II. scrawl 2 BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
untidy careless writing:
The note was written in his usual illegible scrawl.