scamble, to scramble, to struggle. Much Ado, v. 1. 94; Tusser, Husbandry, § 51. 7. Hence, scambling, shambling, shuffling, Ford, Love’s Sacrifice, v. 1 (Bianca); filching, id., Fancies Chaste, i. 3 (Livio). In prov. use in various parts of England (EDD.).
scand, pp., ascended, climbed up to. Spenser, F. Q. vii. 6. 8. L. scandere, to climb.
scantle, to scant, to limit; ‘Her scantled banks’, Drayton, Pol. xxiv. 12; The Owl, 1294; to shorten sail, Greene, Looking Glasse, iv. 1 (1327); p. 134, col. 1.
scantling, limited measure. Bacon, Essay 55; a pattern, sample, Tr. and Cr. i. 3. 341; ‘How Ovid’s scantlings with the whole true patterne doo agree’, Golding, Ovid’s Metam., Epist. 379. ‘Eschantillon, a scantling, sample, pattern, proof of any sort of Merchandise’, Cotgrave. Anglo-F. escauntiloun (Rough List).
scar, a steep bare bank, a cliff. Drayton, Pol. xxvii. 326. In prov. use, see EDD. (s.v. Scar, sb.1). Icel. sker, an isolated rock in the sea.
scarab, a beetle, dung-beetle; a term of reproach. B. Jonson, Alchem. i. 1. 59 (Subtle); Beaumont and Fl., Mad Lover, ii. 2 (Chilax). Gk. σκάραβος, a beetle.
Scarborough warning, very short notice, or no notice at all; a surprise. Heywood, Proverbs (ed. Farmer, 43); Stanyhurst, tr. of Aeneid, iii. 345. See Nares, EDD. and NED.
scarlet, a scarlet gown, worn as a mark of dignity; He will be . . . next spring call’d to the scarlet, B. Jonson, Alchem. i. 1 (Subtle).
scarmoge, an irregular fight, a ‘skirmish’. Spenser, F. Q. ii. 6. 34. ME. scarmuch (Chaucer, Tr. and Cr. ii. 934), F. escarmouche, a skirmish (Cotgr.); Ital. scaramuccia (Florio).
scartoccio, a roll of paper. B. Jonson, Volpone, ii. 1 (Vol.). Ital. scartoccio, ‘a coffin of paper for spice, as apothecaries use’ (Florio). Cp. cartoccio, a piece of waste paper to put anything in. F. cartouche, E. cartridge.