%rabble%

v. i. [ D. brabbelen to talk confusedly. √95. Cf. Blab, Babble. ] To clamor; to contest noisily. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A broil; a noisy contest; a wrangle. [ 1913 Webster ]

This petty brabble will undo us all. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A brabble. [ R. ] Holland. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A clamorous, quarrelsome, noisy fellow; a wrangler. [ R ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Drabbled p. pr. & vb. n. Drabbling ] [ &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;.See Drab, Draff. ] To draggle; to wet and befoul by draggling; as, to drabble a gown or cloak. Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To fish with a long line and rod; as, to drabble for barbels. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Naut.) A piece of canvas fastened by lacing to the bonnet of a sail, to give it a greater depth, or more drop. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A draggle-tail; a slattern. Halliwell. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Grabbled p. pr. & vb. n. Grabbling ] [ Freq. of grab; cf. D. grabbelen. ] 1. To grope; to feel with the hands. [ 1913 Webster ]

He puts his hands into his pockets, and keeps a grabbling and fumbling. Selden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To lie prostrate on the belly; to sprawl on the ground; to grovel. Ainsworth. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ Akin to D. rabbelen, Prov. G. rabbeln, to prattle, to chatter: cf. L. rabula a brawling advocate, a pettifogger, fr. rabere to rave. Cf. Rage. ] To speak in a confused manner. [ Prov. Eng. & Scot. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Probably named from the noise made by it (see Rabble, v. i.) cf. D. rapalje rabble, OF. & Prov. F. rapaille. ] 1. A tumultuous crowd of vulgar, noisy people; a mob; a confused, disorderly throng. [ 1913 Webster ]

I saw, I say, come out of London, even unto the presence of the prince, a great rabble of mean and light persons. Ascham. [ 1913 Webster ]

Jupiter, Mercury, Bacchus, Venus, Mars, and the whole rabble of licentious deities. Bp. Warburton. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A confused, incoherent discourse; a medley of voices; a chatter. [ 1913 Webster ]

The rabble, the lowest class of people, without reference to an assembly; the dregs of the people. “The rabble call him ‘lord.'” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to a rabble; like, or suited to, a rabble; disorderly; vulgar. [ R. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Rabbled p. pr. & vb. n. Rabbling ] 1. To insult, or assault, by a mob; to mob; as, to rabble a curate. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

The bishops' carriages were stopped and the prelates themselves rabbled on their way to the house. J. R. Green. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To utter glibly and incoherently; to mouth without intelligence. [ Obs. or Scot. ] Foxe. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To rumple; to crumple. [ Scot. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Etymol. uncertain. ] (Iron Manuf.) An iron bar, with the end bent, used in stirring or skimming molten iron in the process of puddling. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. To stir or skim with a rabble, as molten iron. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A tumultuous crowd of low people; a rabble. “Rude rablement.” Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

And still, as he refused it, the rabblement hooted. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See 2d Rabble. ] (Mech.) A scraping tool for smoothing metal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A tumultuous crowd; a rabble; a noisy throng. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act of scrabbling; a moving upon the hands and knees; a scramble; also, a scribble. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Scrabbled p. pr. & vb. n. Scrabbling ] [ Freq. of scrape. Cf. Scramble, Scrawl, v. t. ] 1. To scrape, paw, or scratch with the hands; to proceed by clawing with the hands and feet; to scramble; as, to scrabble up a cliff or a tree. [ 1913 Webster ]

Now after a while Little-faith came to himself, and getting up made shift to scrabble on his way. Bunyan. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make irregular, crooked, or unmeaning marks; to scribble; to scrawl. [ 1913 Webster ]

David . . . scrabbled on the doors of the gate. 1. Sam. xxi. 13. [ 1913 Webster ]