scrabbles

Gropes and grasps

Scrabbles is the third-person singular of scrabble, meaning to scratch, scrape, or claw frantically at a surface: The cat scrabbles at the door to be let in.

It often suggests desperate or clumsy grasping: She scrabbles for a handhold on the rock face.

Figuratively, to scrabble is to struggle or scramble: He scrabbles to make ends meet.

clawing

scratches

Shallow marks from abrasion

scrapesShallow surface injuries
clawsAnimal gripping nails
graspsHolds or comprehends

digs · clutches · gropes · paws · fingers · nails · fumbles · reaches · grapples · rakes

game

tiles

Flat covering pieces

lettersAlphabetic characters or mail
boardFlat rigid panel
tripleGroup of three

word · score · rack · dictionary · crossword · anagram · bonus · vowels · consonants · bingo

struggling

struggles

Difficult prolonged efforts

scrapesShallow surface injuries
strivesMakes earnest effort
flailsSwings limbs chaotically

grasps · clambers · climbs · fights · scratches · reaches · desperate · effort · clinging · survival

Opposites

movement quality

scrabblesglides

Moves smoothly, frictionlessly

flows · drifts · floats · slides · sails

manner of acquisition/grasping

scrabblesseizes

Takes by force

secures · holds fast · grips · takes hold · possesses

grip security

scrabblesgrips

Holds firmly onto

clasps · grasps · clutches · seizes · secures

Phrases

Scrabble boardLettered tile playing surface
scrabble tileScored alphabet square
Scrabble playersWord game competitors

Family

scrabble, scrabbling, scrabbled, scrabbler, scrabblers

Familiarity: Top 500,000
Profile: Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G