scrabble /ˈskræbəl/ ( scrabbling, scrabbled, scrabbles )

• 1. 

  V-T/V-I If you scrabble for something, especially something that you cannot see, you move your hands or your feet about quickly and hurriedly in order to find it. 扒寻

  例：

  He grabbed his jacket and scrabbled in his desk drawer for some loose change.

  他抓起夹克，然后在书桌的抽屉里乱翻了一下，为了找些零钱。

  例：

  I hung there, scrabbling with my feet to find a foothold.

  我吊在那儿，两脚乱蹬着以寻找落脚点。

• 2. 

  PHRASAL VERB Scrabble around or scrabble about means the same as . Scrabble around或scrabble about同scrabble

  例：

  Alberg scrabbled around for pen and paper.

  阿尔伯格四处翻找笔和纸。

  例：

  Gleb scrabbled about in the hay, pulled out a book and opened it.

  格莱布在干草中乱扒了一通，翻出一本书并将其打开。

• 3. 

  V-T/V-I If you say that someone is scrabbling to do something, you mean that they are having difficulty because they are in too much of a hurry, or because the task is almost impossible. 苦求

  例：

  The banks are now desperately scrabbling to recover their costs.

  那些银行正拼命急于收回成本，但困难重重。

  例：

  The opportunity had gone. His mind scrabbled for alternatives.

  机会已经失去。他苦苦思索别的方法。

• 4. 

  PHRASAL VERB Scrabble around means the same as . Scrabble around同scrabble

  例：

  You get a six-month contract, and then you have to scrabble around for the next job.

  你签了一份6个月的合同，接着还得拼命去找下一份工作。