Definition of scramble verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary



    BrE BrE//ˈskræmbl//
    ; NAmE NAmE//ˈskræmbl//
    Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they scramble
    BrE BrE//ˈskræmbl//
    ; NAmE NAmE//ˈskræmbl//
    he / she / it scrambles
    BrE BrE//ˈskræmblz//
    ; NAmE NAmE//ˈskræmblz//
    past simple scrambled
    BrE BrE//ˈskræmbld//
    ; NAmE NAmE//ˈskræmbld//
    past participle scrambled
    BrE BrE//ˈskræmbld//
    ; NAmE NAmE//ˈskræmbld//
    -ing form scrambling
    BrE BrE//ˈskræmblɪŋ//
    ; NAmE NAmE//ˈskræmblɪŋ//
    Ways of cooking
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  1. 1[intransitive] + adv./prep. to move quickly, especially with difficulty, using your hands to help you synonym clamber She managed to scramble over the wall. He scrambled to his feet as we came in. They finally scrambled ashore. He scrambled up the cliff and raced towards the car.
  2. push/fight
  3. 2[intransitive] to push, fight or compete with others in order to get or to reach something scramble for something The audience scrambled for the exits. scramble to do something Shoppers were scrambling to get the best bargains.
  4. achieve something with difficulty
  5. 3[transitive] to manage to achieve something with difficulty, or in a hurry, without much control scramble something Cork scrambled a 1–0 win over Monaghan. scramble something + adv./prep. Rooney managed to scramble the ball into the net.
  6. eggs
  7. 4[transitive, usually passive] scramble something to cook an egg by mixing the white and yellow parts together and heating them, sometimes with milk and butter scrambled eggs See related entries: Ways of cooking
  8. telephone/radio
  9. 5[transitive, often passive] scramble something to change the way that a telephone or radio message sounds so that only people with special equipment can understand it scrambled satellite signals
  10. confuse thoughts
  11. 6[transitive] scramble something to confuse somebody’s thoughts, ideas, etc. so that they have no order Alcohol seemed to have scrambled his brain.
  12. aircraft
  13. 7[transitive, intransitive, usually passive] scramble (something) to order that planes, etc. should take off immediately in an emergency; to take off immediately in an emergency A helicopter was scrambled to help rescue three young climbers. They scrambled as soon as the call came through.
  14. Word Origin late 16th cent.: imitative; compare with the dialect words scamble ‘stumble’ and cramble ‘crawl’.Extra examples He scrambled awkwardly to his feet. He scrambled up the stairs. They scrambled frantically over the piles of debris. We scrambled for cover and hid underneath the truck.
See the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary entry: scramble

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