Shambled: meaning, definitions and examples

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shambled

 

[ ˈʃæm.bəld ]

Verb
Context #1 | Verb

movement, disarray

To shamble means to walk or move in a slow, awkward, and ungraceful manner. It often conveys a sense of a lack of coordination or purposefulness in the way a person or animal moves. The term can also denote a feeling of discomfort or disarray in one’s physical state while walking. This word is frequently used to describe an unhealthy or weary gait, suggesting fatigue or injury.

Synonyms

lurch, shuffle, stagger

Examples of usage

  • He shambled down the street, dragging his feet.
  • The old man shambled across the park, leaning heavily on his cane.
  • The children shambled into the classroom, still half-asleep.

Translations

Translations of the word "shambled" in other languages:

🇵🇹 desordenado

🇮🇳 बिखरा हुआ

🇩🇪 durcheinander

🇮🇩 berantakan

🇺🇦 безладний

🇵🇱 zabałaganiony

🇯🇵 乱雑な

🇫🇷 désordonné

🇪🇸 desordenado

🇹🇷 dağınık

🇰🇷 어지러운

🇸🇦 مبعثر

🇨🇿 nepořádný

🇸🇰 neporiadny

🇨🇳 杂乱的

🇸🇮 neurejen

🇮🇸 óreiðulegur

🇰🇿 бұзылған

🇬🇪 შეურაცხყოფილი

🇦🇿 qarışıq

🇲🇽 desordenado

Word origin

The word 'shamble' originates from Middle English, derived from 'shambel', which meant to walk awkwardly or to shuffle. Its earliest use can be traced back to the combination of the Old English word 'sceam' meaning 'to go' and the word 'bel' which is associated with 'to fall'. Over time, it evolved into the modern usage we see today. In the 19th century, it became more common in literature to describe not just a physical way of walking, but also emotional states that accompany such movement. The usage has broadened to include any sort of clumsy or disorganized movement, emphasizing both physical and metaphorical disarray.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #36,353, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.