scrabbling
爪でかきむしる／慌てて探し回る
解説 Definition
爪や指で急いでかきむしる、ひっかく。または何かを探すために急いで探り回る動作を指す。
Scrabbling means scratching or pulling at something quickly with the hands, fingers, or nails. It can also describe moving in a hurried, awkward way while trying to find, reach, or climb something. The word often suggests panic, urgency, or rough movement.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
scrabbling は scratch や scrape と同じく、語頭 scr- に「こする・引っかく・荒っぽく動く」感じがあると覚えると残りやすい。さらに -ble が付くと、細かくせわしい反復動作の印象になり、-ing でその最中の動きが見える。猫が床を爪でかく、バッグの中を暗いまま鍵や小銭のために手探りする場面を思い浮かべると定着しやすい。よく scrabble for something, scrabble around in a bag のように使う。scrambling は「大急ぎでよじ登る・かき集める」寄りで、scrabbling はもっと指先や爪でガサガサ探る感じ。
The beginning `scr-` often gives a rough rubbing or scratching feeling, like in `scratch` or `scrape`. `Scrabbling` sounds quick, messy, and repeated, especially with fingers or nails. Picture someone scrabbling in a dark bag for keys, or a cat scrabbling at the floor.
例文
The cat was scrabbling at the furniture with its claws.
猫は家具を爪でかきむしっていた。
He scrabbled through the drawer desperately looking for his keys.
彼は鍵を探すため、引き出しの中をかき回した。
The climber scrabbled for handholds on the steep rock face.
登山者は急な岩壁のつかみ所を探り回った。
scrabbling の類義語・関連語
scrabbling の語源・成り立ち Etymology
scrabbling は scrabble の形で、中英語 scrablen、さらに中オランダ語 schrabbelen「ひっかく」にさかのぼるとされます。scrab- に反復感のある -le が加わり、「爪でせわしくかく」「手探りであさる」意味になりました。関連語に scrape, scratch。
Scrabbling comes from scrabble, which goes back to Middle English scrablen and probably to Middle Dutch schrabbelen, meaning "to scratch." The word was built around a root about scratching, with a frequent or repeated action sense, so it came to suggest hurried clawing or searching with the hands. It is related in origin and feeling to English words like scratch and scrape.
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