Origin uncertain. Perhaps from earlier dialectal scramble, scrammel, from scramb + -le (compare Dutch schrammen); or alternatively from a nasalised form of scrabble.

• IPA: /ˈskɹæmbl̩/

scramble (scrambles, present participle scrambling; simple past and past participle scrambled)

1. (intransitive) To move hurriedly to a location, especially by using all limbs against a surface.
   • [1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC ↗:

     When I saw the coffin I knew that I was respited, for, as I judged, there was space between it and the wall behind enough to contain my little carcass; and in a second I had put out the candle, scrambled up the shelves, half-stunned my senses with dashing my head against the roof, and squeezed my body betwixt wall and coffin.

2. (intransitive) To proceed to a location or an objective in a disorderly manner.
3. (transitive, of food ingredients, usually, including egg) To thoroughly combine and cook as a loose mass.

   I scrambled some eggs with spinach and cheese.

4. (transitive) To process telecommunication signals to make them unintelligible to an unauthorized listener.
5. (transitive, military, also by extension) To quickly deploy (vehicles, usually aircraft) to a destination in response to an alert, usually to intercept an attacking enemy.
6. (intransitive, military) To be quickly deployed in this manner.
   • 1969, Burke Davis, Get Yamamoto, page 115:

     As the planes scrambled, four of his veterans went up: Tom Lanphier, Rex Barber, Joe Moore and Jim McLanahan. They had waited with other Lightnings at 30,000 feet and dived on a formation of eleven Zeroes far below, working in pairs.

7. (intransitive, sports) To partake in motocross.
8. (intransitive) To ascend rocky terrain as a leisure activity.
9. (transitive) To gather or collect by scrambling.
   • c. 1589–1590 (date written), Christopher Marlo[we], edited by Tho[mas] Heywood, The Famous Tragedy of the Rich Iew of Malta. […], London: […] I[ohn] B[eale] for Nicholas Vavasour, […], published 1633, →OCLC ↗, (please specify the page):

     They say we are a scatter'd nation: / I cannot tell, but we have scrambled up / More wealth by far than those that brag of faith.

10. (transitive) To struggle eagerly with others for something thrown upon the ground; to go down upon all fours to seize something; to catch rudely at what is desired.
    • 1637, John Milton, “Lycidas”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC ↗, page 62 ↗:

      Of other care they little reck'ning make, / Then how to ſcramble at the ſhearers feaſt,

11. (transitive) To throw something down for others to compete for in this manner.
    • 1952, Walkabout, volume 18, page 40:

      […] Father Boniface standing on the verandah of the Monastery on a Sunday afternoon “scrambling” lollies to the kids […]

12. (Rubik's Cube) To permute parts of a twisty puzzle (especially, Rubik's Cube) until it is ready to be solved from scratch.

• German: krabbeln
• Russian: кара́бкаться
• Spanish: gatear

• French: ruer
• German: drängeln
• Russian: пробира́ться

• French: brouiller
• German: verrühren, verquirlen
• Russian: взба́лтывать
• Spanish: revolver

• French: brouiller
• German: verwürfeln
• Russian: шифрова́ть

• German: ausschwärmen
• Russian: подняться по тревоге

• German: Motocross fahren, crossen (slang)

• French: faire de l'escalade
• German: klettern, kraxeln
• Russian: взбира́ться

• German: rangeln, balgen (reflexive)

scramble (plural scrambles)

1. A rush or hurry, especially making use of the limbs against a surface.

   a last-minute scramble to the finish line

2. (military) An emergency defensive air force mission to intercept attacking enemy aircraft.
   • 1984, Steve Harris, "Aces High", Iron Maiden, Powerslave.

     There goes the siren that warns of the air raid / Then comes the sound of the guns sending flak / Out for the scramble we've got to get airborne / Got to get up for the coming attack.

3. A motocross race.
4. Any frantic period of competitive activity.
5. (gridiron football) An impromptu maneuver or run by a quarterback, attempting to gain yardage or avoid being tackled behind the line of scrimmage.
6. (golf) A statistic used in assessing a player's short game, consisting of a chip or putt from under 50 yards away that results in requiring one putt or less on the green.
7. (golf) A variant of golf in which each player in a team tees off on each hole, and the players decide which shot was best. Every player then plays their second shot from within a club length of where the best ball has come to rest, and the procedure is repeated until the hole is finished.

• French: bousculade
• German: Gedränge, Gerangel, Gedrängel (coll.)
• Russian: спе́шка
• Spanish: arrebato, arrebatiña, rebatiña

• French: interception
• German: Ausschwärmen
• Russian: взлёт по тревога

• French: motocross
• Russian: мотого́нки

• German: Gerangel
• Russian: ажиота́ж

1. (UK) Shouted when something desirable is thrown into a group of people who individually want that item, causing them to rush for it.