scramble

noun countable

UK /ˈskræmb(ə)l/

Word Forms

singular	scramble
plural	scrambles

1
a difficult climb in which you use your feet and hands
a scramble through mountainous terrain
Synonyms and related words
Mountaineering, rock climbing and caving
abseil
abseiling
ascend
2
a situation in which people all compete for the same thing
scramble for:
a scramble each morning for the bathroom
a scramble to do something:
They’re destroying valuable land in their scramble to make money.
Synonyms and related words
General words for competitions
arms race
competition
contest
3
a situation in which you have to hurry to do something
a mad scramble:
The next two hours were a mad scramble to get to the airport.
Synonyms and related words
Situations in which people hurry
panic
rush
dash
4
a motorcycle race over rough ground
Synonyms and related words
Racing with cars and other vehicles
autocross
auto racing
chequered flag

scramble

noun countable

US /ˈskræmb(ə)l/

Word Forms

singular	scramble
plural	scrambles

1
a situation in which people all compete for the same thing
scramble for:
a scramble each morning for the bathroom
a scramble to do something:
They’re destroying valuable land in their scramble to make money.
Synonyms and related words
General words for competitions
arms race
competition
contest
2
a situation in which you have to hurry to do something
a mad scramble:
The next two hours were a mad scramble to get to the airport.
Synonyms and related words
Situations in which people hurry
panic
rush
dash
3
a difficult climb in which you use your feet and hands
a scramble through mountainous terrain
Synonyms and related words
Mountaineering, rock climbing and caving
abseil
ascend
ascent
4
a motorcycle race over rough ground
Synonyms and related words
Racing with cars and other vehicles
autocross
auto racing
checkered flag

scramble

verb

UK /ˈskræmb(ə)l/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	scramble
he/she/it	scrambles
present participle	scrambling
past tense	scrambled
past participle	scrambled

1
intransitive to climb somewhere using your feet and hands
scramble over/up/down/out of etc:
She managed to scramble over the wall.
Synonyms and related words
To move, or to move something upwards
lift
raise
rise
1. 1a
  to move somewhere quickly and in a way that is not graceful
  They stopped the car and quickly scrambled out.
  scramble to your feet:
  He scrambled awkwardly to his feet.
  Synonyms and related words
  To move somewhere quickly
  fly
  hasten
  speed
2
intransitive to hurry or try very hard to get something, often competing with other people
scramble for:
Companies are scrambling to recruit skilled workers.
scramble to do something:
Tensions are rising as diplomats scramble to prevent a war.
Synonyms and related words
To hurry, or to make someone hurry
hurry
rush
dash
3
transitive to mix together the white and yellow parts of an egg and cook it
Synonyms and related words
Cook food or be cooked
bake
barbecue
baste
4
transitive to change the form of a radio message so that only someone with special equipment can understand it
Synonyms and related words
Communicating by radio
CB
ham
over
5
intransitive if aircraft or pilots scramble, they take off quickly, for example to attack an enemy or because of an emergency
RAF fighter jets scrambled to escort the plane into Stansted airport.
Synonyms and related words
To operate an aircraft
airlift
bank
buzz
1. 5a
  transitive if aircraft are scrambled, their crews are ordered to take off quickly, for example to attack an enemy or because of an emergency
  A coastguard helicopter was scrambled from Scotland.
  Synonyms and related words
  To operate an aircraft
  airlift
  bank
  buzz

phrases

scramble home

scramble

verb

US /ˈskræmb(ə)l/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	scramble
he/she/it	scrambles
present participle	scrambling
past tense	scrambled
past participle	scrambled

1
intransitive to climb somewhere using your feet and hands
scramble over/up/down/out of etc.:
She managed to scramble over the wall.
Synonyms and related words
To move, or to move something upwards
lift
raise
rise
1. 1a
  to move somewhere quickly and in a way that is not graceful
  They stopped the car and quickly scrambled out.
  scramble to your feet:
  He scrambled awkwardly to his feet.
  Synonyms and related words
  To move somewhere quickly
  fly
  hasten
  speed
2
intransitive to hurry or try very hard to get something, often competing with other people
scramble for:
Companies are scrambling to recruit skilled workers.
scramble to do something:
Tensions are rising as diplomats scramble to prevent a war.
Synonyms and related words
To hurry, or to make someone hurry
hurry
rush
dash
3
transitive to mix together the white and yellow parts of an egg and cook it
Synonyms and related words
Cook food or be cooked
bake
barbecue
baste
4
transitive to change the form of a radio message so that only someone with special equipment can understand it
Synonyms and related words
Communicating by radio
CB
ham
over
5
intransitive if aircraft or pilots scramble, they take off quickly, for example to attack an enemy or because of an emergency
F-16 fighter jets scrambled from Peterson Air Force Base to escort United Flight 663 to Denver.
Synonyms and related words
To operate an aircraft
airlift
bank
buzz
1. 5a
  transitive if aircraft are scrambled, their crews are ordered to take off quickly, for example to attack an enemy or because of an emergency
  The marines scrambled helicopters to raid the ranch, drawing gunfire from cartel gunmen.
  Synonyms and related words
  To operate an aircraft
  airlift
  bank
  buzz
2. 5b
  transitive if aircraft are scrambled, their crews are ordered to take off quickly, for example to attack an enemy or because of an emergency
  A coastguard helicopter was scrambled from Scotland.

phrases

scramble home

scramble

scramble

scramble ​‌

scramble ​‌

scramble

scramble