scram·ble / ˈskrambəl/ • v. 1. [intr.] make one's way quickly or awkwardly up a steep slope or over rough ground by using one's hands as well as one's feet: we scrambled over the wet boulders. ∎  move hurriedly or clumsily from or into a particular place or position: she scrambled out of the car. ∎  (scramble into) put (clothes) on hurriedly: Robbie scrambled into jeans and a T-shirt. ∎  [tr.] inf. perform (an action) or achieve (a result) hurriedly, clumsily, or with difficulty. ∎  struggle or compete with others for something in an eager or uncontrolled and undignified way: firms scrambled to win public-sector contracts. ∎  [tr.] (often be scrambled) order (a fighter aircraft or its pilot) to take off immediately in an emergency or for action. ∎  [intr.] (of a fighter aircraft or its pilot) take off in such a way. ∎  [intr.] Football (of a quarterback) run around with the ball behind the line of scrimmage while looking for an open receiver. ∎  [intr.] Football run forward with the ball when unable to pass to an open receiver.2. [tr.] make (something) jumbled or muddled: maybe the alcohol has scrambled his brains. ∎  prepare (eggs) by beating them with a little liquid and then cooking and stirring them gently. ∎  make (a broadcast transmission, a telephone message, or electronic data) unintelligible unless received by an appropriate decoding device: [as adj.] (scrambled) scrambled television signals. • n. 1. a difficult or hurried clamber up or over something: an undignified scramble over the wall. ∎  a walk up steep terrain involving the use of one's hands. ∎  an eager or uncontrolled and undignified struggle with others to obtain or achieve something: a scramble for high-priced concert seats. ∎  an emergency takeoff by fighter aircraft.2. a disordered mixture of things: the encryptor produced a scramble of the letters of the alphabet.DERIVATIVES: scram·bling / -b(ə)ling/ n.ORIGIN: late 16th cent.: imitative; compare with the dialect words scamble ‘stumble’ and cramble ‘crawl.’

Scramble

a confused or disorderly event.

Examples : scramble of the world, 1839; a scramble of Tories, 1839; motorcycle scramble (race meeting).

scramble make one's way by clambering, etc.; struggle with others for something. XVI. of symbolic form.