scrabble
(skræbəl )
Word forms: scrabbles , scrabbling , scrabbled
1. verb
If you scrabble for something, especially something that you cannot see, you move your hands or your feet about quickly and hurriedly in order to find it.
He grabbed his jacket and scrabbled in his desk drawer for some loose change. [VERB + for]
I hung there, scrabbling with my feet to find a foothold. [VERB to-infinitive]
Synonyms: scrape, scratch, scramble, dig
Scrabble around or scrabble about means the same as scrabble.
Alberg scrabbled around for pen and paper. [VERB PARTICLE + for]
Gleb scrabbled about in the hay, pulled out a book and opened it. [VERB PARTICLE]
2. verb [Also V P to-inf]
If you say that someone is scrabbling to do something, you mean that they are having difficulty because they are in too much of a hurry, or because the task is almost impossible.
The banks are now desperately scrabbling to recover their costs. [VERB to-infinitive]
The opportunity had gone. His mind scrabbled for alternatives. [VERB + for]
Synonyms: strive, rush, hasten, run
Scrabble around means the same as scrabble.
You get a six-month contract, and then you have to scrabble around for the next job. [VERB PARTICLE + for]
Image of scrabble
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