scrabbling

Verb

scrabble (third-person singular simple present scrabbles, present participle scrabbling, simple past and past participle scrabbled)

1. (intransitive) To scrape or scratch powerfully with hands or claws.
   • […] there came no answer, except the echo of my own voice sounding hollow and far off down in the vault. So in despair I turned back to the earth wall below the slab, and scrabbled at it with my fingers, till my nails were broken and the blood ran out; having all the while a sure knowledge, like a...[1898], J[ohn] Meade Falkner, Moonfleet, London; Toronto, Ont.: Jonathan Cape, published 1934, →OCLC
2. (transitive) To gather hastily.
   • “Oh. The perfect ending to the perfect-- [chuckles] I almost said evening. More like months, though, isn't it? Since we started scrabbling for coins because the damn government took away our-- every thing. They took everything. And the only thing that was left, you idiots either lost, gave away...2014 March 24, Adam Reed, “On the Carpet” (19:15 from the start), in Archer, season 5, episode 9, spoken by Malory Archer (Jessica Walter)

   Synonyms:

   scramble

3. (intransitive) To move with difficulty by making rapid movements back and forth with the hands or paws.
   • She was on her hands and knees scrabbling in the mud, looking for her missing wedding ring.
4. (intransitive) To scribble.
   • David […] scrabbled on the doors of the gate.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Samuel 21:13
5. (transitive) To mark with irregular lines or letters; to scribble on.
   • to scrabble paper

See all 7 meanings of scrabble