shamble
gb/ʃˈæmbəl/ us/ʃˈæmbəl/
C1
English
csoszog, káosz, romokban van, mészárszék, hentesnegyed
VERB
C1
1
csoszog
B2
Usage pattern:
shamble (along/into/out of/past) [place]
After the long flight, she shambled to baggage claim.
A hosszú repülőút után odacsoszogott a poggyászkiadóhoz.
He shambled across the parking lot with his hands in his pockets.
Zsebre dugott kézzel csoszogott át a parkolón.
A bear shambled out of the trees and onto the road.
Learner examples
I shambled home because I was very tired.
Nagyon fáradt voltam, ezért hazacsoszogtam.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use it for any slow walking; it usually suggests an awkward, shuffling gait.
Meaning
walk with a slow shuffle
Collocations
shamble along
|shamble into the room
|shamble out of bed
|shamble down the street
|shamble across the floor
|shamble home
|shamble past
|shamble around
|shamble off
|shamble up to
Synonyms
shuffle (More strongly suggests dragging the feet.)
|
trudge (Suggests effort or tiredness more than awkwardness.)
Antonyms
stride (Walking confidently with long steps.)
|
march (Walking in a firm, deliberate, regular way.)
Themes
movement
|daily_life
Definition
to walk slowly and awkwardly
To walk in a slow, awkward way, with a shuffling or dragging movement rather than confident steps.
NOUN
C1
2
káosz
B1
romokban van
B2
Usage pattern:
be (in) shambles; a shambles
After the last-minute changes, the schedule was a shambles.
Az utolsó pillanatban történt változtatások után a menetrend kész káosz volt.
The office was in shambles after the burst pipe.
A csőtörés után az iroda romokban volt.
His finances are a shambles right now.
Learner examples
My room is a shambles.
A szobámban kész káosz van.
Common mistake:
This meaning is usually plural (shambles). Singular shamble is uncommon for this sense.
Meaning
a state of disorder
Collocations
in shambles
|a complete shambles
|an utter shambles
|turn into a shambles
|leave [something] in shambles
|financial shambles
|political shambles
|organizational shambles
|the place was in shambles
|his life is in shambles
Synonyms
mess (More general and less dramatic.)
|
chaos (Emphasizes confusion and lack of control.)
|
wreck (Emphasizes damage or failure.)
Antonyms
order (A calm, well-arranged condition.)
|
organization (A planned, structured arrangement.)
Themes
daily_life
|business
|problems
Definition
a very messy or badly organized situation
A condition of severe disorder, confusion, or ruin; in modern English this sense is most often expressed with the plural form shambles.
NOUN
C2
ARCHAIC
3
mészárszék
C2
hentesnegyed
C1
Usage pattern:
the shambles; [town]'s shambles
In medieval records, the shambles were the area where animals were slaughtered and meat was sold.
A középkori feljegyzésekben a mészárszékek negyede volt az a terület, ahol az állatokat levágták, és a húst árulták.
The street called The Shambles still marks the old butchers’ quarter in some cities.
A The Shambles nevű utca egyes városokban ma is az egykori hentesnegyed helyét jelzi.
Common mistake:
Do not confuse this older meaning with modern 'in shambles' (= in a mess).
Meaning
a slaughterhouse or butcher market
Collocations
the shambles
|butchers' shambles
|near the shambles
|at the shambles
|the town shambles
Synonyms
slaughterhouse (Modern standard word.)
|
butchery (Can mean a butcher’s shop; also has a figurative sense of violence.)
Antonyms
bakery (A different kind of food shop; offered only as a contrast.)
Themes
history
|food
Definition
an old word for a slaughterhouse
A slaughterhouse or a place where meat is prepared and sold, especially in older usage (often as the shambles).
Grammar
Dictionary form
shamble
IPA
GB/ʃˈæmbəl/
US/ʃˈæmbəl/
Syllables & stress
shamble (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (shamble)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: shamble
- 3rd Person Singular: shambles
- Present Participle: shambling
- Past: shambled
Expressions
in shambles
1/ˈɪn ʃˈæmbəlz/
idiom
in complete disorder or ruin
very messy or badly damaged
Examples
- Our travel plans were in shambles after the storm.
- The team’s defense was in shambles without its captain.
- The company was in shambles after the failed product launch.
Learner examples
- My plans are in shambles.
make a shambles of [something]
1/mˈeɪk ə ʃˈæmbəlz əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
idiom
informal
ruin by doing badly
to do something very badly
Examples
- They made a shambles of the presentation by arguing on stage.
- I made a shambles of the sauce and had to start again.
- The contractor made a shambles of the kitchen remodel.
Learner examples
- He made a shambles of the report.
make a shambles of [something]
1/mˈeɪk ə ʃˈæmbəlz əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
idiom
informal
do something very badly
do something very badly and ruin it
Examples
- I made a shambles of my presentation by skipping half the slides.
- They made a shambles of the booking process and lost our reservation.
- He made a shambles of the job interview by arriving an hour late.
Learner examples
- I made a shambles of the test.
shamble along
1/ʃˈæmbəl əlˈɔŋ/
phrasal verb
walk slowly and awkwardly
to walk forward slowly and awkwardly
Examples
- We shambled along the path, too tired to talk.
- The old man shambled along with a cane.
- In the movie, the zombies shambled along the street.
Learner examples
- The dog shambled along behind me.
shamble off
1/ʃˈæmbəl ˈɔf/
phrasal verb
walk away awkwardly
to walk away slowly and awkwardly
Examples
- He shambled off to bed after the night shift.
- The child shambled off, embarrassed by the mistake.
- When the meeting ended, everyone shambled off in silence.
Learner examples
- She shambled off to her room.