See Also: scribble(1)(dictionary)
scribble(2)(dictionary)
scribble-scrabble(dictionary)
scribble 1, verb(dictionary)
scribble 2, noun(dictionary)

scribble(1) (iou)



scribble verb1 & noun. LME.
[from medieval Latin dim. of Latin scribere write: see -LE3.]
A. verb.
1. verb trans.
a. Write in an untidy or illegible hand through haste or carelessness; write hurriedly, resulting in an inferior composition. Also, draw or portray (an object) by rapid and irregular marks similar to hurried handwriting. Freq. foll. by away, down, out. LME.
S. Bedford Before sailing, Louis had found time to scribble a postcard.
b. Cover with untidy or illegible writing or irregular marks. Usu. foll. by over. M16.
A. Carter The city was scribbled all over with graffiti.
2. a. verb intrans. Write something hastily or carelessly; produce inferior writing; (freq. derog. or joc.) be an author or writer. Also, make meaningless or irregular marks resembling hurried writing. E16.
J. Grenfell I used to scribble a bit. Poetry.
b. verb trans. With obj. & compl.: bring into a specified state by scribbling. rare. E18.
B. noun.
1. A hastily or carelessly written letter, note, etc. Also, an inferior or trivial composition. L16.
D. M. Thomas Her last word from me had been one of my indifferent scribbles.
2. Hurried or careless and untidy handwriting; an example of this. Also, a figure etc. drawn with irregular and meaningless marks similar to hurried hand writing. E18.
M. Keane The envelope was covered with doodling scribbles..making no kind of sense.
scribblative adjective (rare) of or pertaining to scribbling E19.
scribblement noun = SCRIBBLE noun 1 E17.
scribbler noun1 (a) a person who scribbles; a writer or author, esp. an inferior one; (b) (chiefly N. Amer.) a scribbling block or pad: M16.
scribblingly adverb in a scribbling manner L16.