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Added 10 October 2026

scrawl

/skɹɔːl/ noun

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about scrawl at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Irregular, poor handwriting; especially, such writing that is illegible.
A hastily or carelessly written note etc.
Writing that lacks literary merit.

verb

To write something hastily or illegibly.
She scrawled the main points onto her notepad.
To write in an irregular or illegible manner.
To write unskilfully and inelegantly.

verb

To creep; crawl; to move slowly, with difficulty, fearfully, or stealthily.

Origin

Possibly from Middle English scraulen (“to spread out one's limbs; sprawl”), itself an alteration of spraulen (“to sprawl”) or craulen, crawlen (“to crawl”). Alternatively, from scrall, a contraction of scrabble.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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