shamble

From Middle English schambyll, shamyll, schamel, from Old English sċeamol, scamol (“bench, stool”), from Proto-Germanic *skamulaz, *skamilaz, from Latin scamellum, a variant of scabellum (“footstool”). Cognate with Dutch schemel (“footstool, bench”), German Schemel (“stool”), Danish skammel (“stool”). Icelandic skemill (“footstool”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃæmbl̩/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

shamble (third-person singular simple present shambles, present participle shambling, simple past and past participle shambled)

1. To walk while shuffling or dragging the feet.

   I wasn't too impressed with the fellow, when he shambled in unenthusiastically and an hour late.

• shuffle

shamble (plural shambles)

1. (mining) One of a succession of niches or platforms, one above another, to hold ore which is thrown successively from platform to platform, and thus raised to a higher level.

• shambles

• hambles