The Collaborative International Dictionary
Scamble \Scam"ble\, v. t.
To mangle. [Obs.]
--Mortimer.
Scamble \Scam"ble\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Scambled; p. pr. & vb. n. Scambling.] [Cf. OD. schampelen to deviate, to slip, schampen to go away, escape, slip, and E. scamper, shamble.]
To move awkwardly; to be shuffling, irregular, or unsteady; to sprawl; to shamble. ``Some scambling shifts.''
--Dr. H. More. ``A fine old hall, but a scambling house.''
--Evelyn.To move about pushing and jostling; to be rude and turbulent; to scramble. ``The scambling and unquiet time did push it out of . . . question.''
--Shak.
Wiktionary
vb. 1 (context intransitive English) To move awkwardly; to be shuffling, irregular, or unsteady; to sprawl; to shamble. 2 (context intransitive English) To move about pushing and jostling; to be rude and turbulent; to scramble; struggle for place or possession. 3 (context transitive English) To mangle.
Usage examples of "scamble".
She had to go on, but the panic was starting to overwhelm her, and if she gave in to it, she was liable to fall while trying to scamble madly down the ladder.