different between shambles vs shambling

English

Etymology

From Old English s?amul. A borrowing from Vulgar Latin scamellum, scamillum (“little bench, ridge”), from Latin scamnum (“bench, ridge, breadth of a field”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??æmbl?z/

Noun

shambles (plural shambles)

1. work done in a poor fashion
2. a scene of great disorder or ruin
3. a great mess or clutter

   This website is a shambles.

4. a scene of bloodshed, carnage or devastation
5. a slaughterhouse
6. (archaic) a butcher's shop

   • Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake.

   • 1729, Jonathan Swift, A Modest Proposal

     As to our city of Dublin, shambles may be appointed for this purpose in the most convenient parts of it, and butchers we may be assured will not be wanting […]

Derived terms

• omnishambles
• shambolic
• shambolism
• shambly

Translations

Verb

shambles

1. Third-person singular simple present indicative form of shamble

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??æmbl??/

Verb

shambling

1. present participle of shamble

Adjective

shambling (comparative more shambling, superlative most shambling)

1. Who walks while dragging or shuffling the feet.

   moving with a shambling gait

   a shambling giant of a man

Noun

shambling (plural shamblings)

1. An awkward, irregular gait.

Related terms

• shamble
• shambles