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Scottish National Dictionary (1700–)

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First published 1971 (SND Vol. VIII).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Quotation dates: 1721

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†SCAMBLER, n. Also skemler (Cai.). A parasite, sponger, one who scrounges his meals from others (Sc. 1755 Johnson Dict., Cai. 1934). [′skemlər]Sc. 1721 J. Kelly Proverbs 274:
You may stay all Night, but you may go home if you like. It is well ken'd your Father's Son was never a Scambler.

[Orig. uncertain. Cf. obs. Eng. scamble, to scramble, join in a struggle for something, 1539. But O.Sc. has scamler, a sponger, a.1500, skemlin, 1591, and Jam. suggests a deriv. from skemmels, shambles, butchers' stalls, sc. as a place from which one might scrounge scraps. Cf. O.Sc. 1604 Grahame Anatomie of Humors 19: "scambling like Butchers Dogs in Lentron."]

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"Scambler n.". Dictionary of the Scots Language. 2004. Scottish Language Dictionaries Ltd. Accessed 10 Dec 2025 <http://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/scambler>

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