adj. (often foll. By of) contemptuous. scornfully adv.

n. - arachnid with pincers and a jointed stinging tail.

- (the scorpion) zodiacal sign or constellation scorpio.

adv. Unharmed, unpunished. [obsolete scot tax]

n. (fem. Scotswoman) = *scot.

(also scotch) —adj. Of scotland or its inhabitants. —n. (prec. By the; treated as pl.) People of scotland.

- pine var. Of *scots pine.

- terrier var. Of *scotch terrier.

—v. (-ling) scratch or grope about, esp. In search of something. —n. - act of scrabbling.

- (scrabble) propr. Game in which players build up words from letter-blocks on a board. [dutch]

—v. (-ling) 1 clamber, crawl, climb, etc., esp. Hurriedly or anxiously.

- (foll. By for, at) struggle with competitors (for a thing or share).

- mix together indiscriminately.

- cook (eggs) by stirring them in a pan over heat.

- change the speech frequency of (a broadcast transmission or telephone conversation) so as to make it unintelligible without a decoding device.

- (of fighter aircraft or pilots) take off quickly in an emergency or for action. —n. - act of scrambling.

- difficult climb or walk.

- (foll. By for) eager struggle or competition.

- motor-cycle race over rough ground.

- emergency take-off by fighter aircraft. [imitative]

n. (esp. In pl.) Fragment produced by scraping.

adj. (-ier, -iest) 1 tending to make scratches or a scratching noise.

- causing itching.

- (of a drawing etc.) Untidy, careless. scratchily adv. Scratchiness n.

—v. (-ling) 1 write or draw carelessly or hurriedly.

- joc. Be an author or writer. —n. - scrawl.

- hasty note etc. [latin scribillo diminutive: related to *scribe]