scrabbleverb [ I + adv/prep ]
uk/ˈskræb.əl/us/ˈskræb.əl/to use your fingers to quickly find something that you cannot see:
He was scrabbling in the sand searching for the ring.
to try to get something quickly that is not easily available:
The government is scrabbling around for ways to raise revenue without putting up taxes.
informal to climb quickly and without care:
Paul scrabbled up the cliff, dislodging several small stones.
We were scrabbling over the rocks as fast as we could.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Searching
- a needle in a haystack idiom
- beachcomber
- bounty hunter
- burrow
- cast around
- dig
- drag
- nose
- once-over
- pick
- pick through sth
- poke
- poke around
- seek
- trail
- turn a place inside out idiom
- turn sth upside down idiom
- wanted
- wild-goose chase
- witch hunt
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You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Moving quickly
Trying and making an effort
Hurrying and doing things quickly