English Dictionary

Definition of “shambles”

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shambles (ˈʃæmbəlzlzPronunciation for shambles) 

Definitions

noun (functioning as singular or plural)

  1. a place of great disorder  ⇒ the room was a shambles after the party 
  2. a place where animals are brought to be slaughtered
  3. any place of slaughter or carnage
  4. British dialect a row of covered stalls or shops where goods, originally meat, are sold

Word Origin

C14 shamble  table used by meat vendors, from Old English sceamel  stool, from Late Latin scamellum  a small bench, from Latin scamnum stool

shamble (ˈʃæmbəllPronunciation for shamble) 

Definitions

verb

  1. (intr) to walk or move along in an awkward or unsteady way

noun

  1. an awkward or unsteady walk

Alternative Forms

ˈshambling adjective noun

Word Origin

C17: from shamble  (adj) ungainly, perhaps from the phrase shamble legs legs resembling those of a meat vendor's table; see shambles

Translations

  • British English: shambles Pronunciation for shambles If a place, event, or situation is a shambles, everything is in disorder.The sitting-room was a total shambles.ˈʃæmblz NOUN The sitting-room was a total shambles.
  • Spanish: desquicio Pronunciation for desquicio nm
  • French: pagaille Pronunciation for pagaille nf
  • German: Durcheinander Pronunciation for Durcheinander nnt
  • Chinese: 屠宰场Pronunciation for 屠宰场 n
  • Arabic: مَجْزَرPronunciation for مَجْزَر n
  • Portuguese: confusãoPronunciation for confusão nf
  • Russian: беспорядокPronunciation for беспорядок nm
  • Croatian: zbrkaPronunciation for zbrka nf
  • Czech: fiaskoPronunciation for fiasko nnt
  • Danish: virvarPronunciation for virvar nnt
  • Dutch: janboelPronunciation for janboel nm
  • Finnish: kaaosPronunciation for kaaos n
  • Greek: μαντάραPronunciation for μαντάρα nf
  • Italian: caosPronunciation for caos nm
  • Japanese: 乱雑な状態Pronunciation for 乱雑な状態 n
  • Korean: 난장판Pronunciation for 난장판 npl
  • Norwegian: kaosPronunciation for kaos nnt
  • Polish: pobojowiskoPronunciation for pobojowisko nnt
  • Brazilian Portuguese: confusãoPronunciation for confusão nf
  • European Spanish: desquicio Pronunciation for desquicio nm
  • Swedish: soppaPronunciation for soppa nutr
  • Thai: ความยุ่งเหยิง ความโกลาหล สถานการณ์สับสนวุ่นวายPronunciation for ความยุ่งเหยิง ความโกลาหล สถานการณ์สับสนวุ่นวาย npl
  • Turkish: talan olmuşPronunciation for talan olmuş
  • Vietnamese: cảnh hỗn độnPronunciation for cảnh hỗn độn n

Usage examples

  • The band joined the rest of the shambles , the mad jangle of the instruments adding to the falsetto screams of terrified women.
    Jenkins, Geoffrey, A Daystar of Fear (1994)
  • Its tractor sales are sagging and its automotive business is in a shambles.
    Business Today (2002)
  • The shambles was compounded by the club having to play at Carrara instead of Brisbane to keep Christopher Skase happy.
    The Mercury, Sunday Tasmanian (2004)
  • When I finally took control I discovered the club's finances were a shambles.
    Sun, News of the World (2000)
  • King Charles I came to Carisbrooke on the run, hoping to be helped on his way abroad from the shambles of his Civil War defeat.
    Somerville, Christopher, The Other British Isles (1990)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'S'

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