scrabble

Scrabble is a word game in which players use letter tiles to build connected words on a board and score points. As a verb, "scrabble" means to scratch, claw, or pull yourself along with quick, awkward movements. It can also mean to search or struggle in a rushed, desperate way, such as scrabbling for an answer or scrabbling around in a bag for your keys.

Scrabble is a well-known word game in which players form words from letter tiles on a board and score points based on the letters and special bonus squares. New words connect with words already on the board, so each turn mixes vocabulary, planning, and a bit of luck.

But "scrabble" is not only the name of the game. In everyday English, it is also a verb. It can describe scratching or clawing with your hands, especially in a quick or awkward way. Someone might scrabble at a wall for support, or an animal might scrabble at the ground.

It can also be used more figuratively for a hurried, clumsy search or effort. You might scrabble around in a drawer for a charger, scrabble for the right words during an argument, or scrabble up a steep path on your hands and feet. Across these uses, the word carries a feeling of urgency, effort, and slightly uncontrolled movement.