clamber

present singular third person clambers · participle present clambering · participle past clambered · past clambered · alternative clammer

1. ambitransitiveTo climb (something) with some difficulty, or in a haphazard fashion.

   The children clambered over the jungle gym.

   5 more examples

   Now, neither for his harp, nor quiuer, cares: / Him ſelfe debaſing, beares the corded ſnares; / Or leades the dogs, or clambers mountaines; led / By lordly Loue, and flames by cuſtome fed.

   1626, Ovid, “The Tenth Booke”, in George Sandys, transl., Ovid’s Metamorphosis Englished […], London: […] William Stansby, →OCLC, pages 199–200

   Then ſaid the Shepherds, Thoſe that you ſee lie daſhed in pieces at the bottom of this Mountain, are they: and they have continued to this day unburied (as you ſee) for an example to others to take heed how they clamber too high, or how they come too near the brink of this Mountain.

   1678, John Bunyan, The Pilgrim’s Progress from This World, to That which is to Come: […], London: […] Nath[aniel] Ponder […], →OCLC, page 157

   The worn-out Lawyer clambers to the bench / That he may live at eaſe, and keep his wench; [...]

   1768, William Wilkie, “A Dialogue. The Author and a Friend.”, in Fables, London: Printed for Edward and Charles Dilly, […]; Edinburgh: A[lexander] Kincaid and J. Bell, →OCLC, page 138

   She threaded the narrow path, she passed the gloomy vineyard that clambers up the rock, and gained the lofty spot, green with moss and luxuriant foliage, where the dust of him [Virgil] who yet soothes and elevates the minds of men is believed to rest.

   1842, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter VIII, in Zanoni. […], volume I, London: Saunders & Otley, […], →OCLC, 3rd book (Theurgia), page 296

   And scarce did manlier nerve uphold / The hero Zal in that fond hour, / Than wings the youth who, fleet and bold, / Now climbs the rocks to Hinda's bower. / See—light as up their granite steeps / The rock-goats of Arabia clamber, / Fearless from crag to crag he leaps, / And now is in the maiden's chamber.

   1845, Thomas Moore, “The Fire-worshippers”, in The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore. […], London: Printed [by A[ndrew] Spottiswoode] for Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, […], →OCLC, page 362, column 1

   Synonyms: scrabble, scramble

plural clambers

1. The act of clambering; a difficult or haphazard climb.

   Beyond these woods were crags covered with purple heather, gleaming crimson in the light. Tired as I was, I could not resist going out of my way to enjoy a clamber over the wild moor, and its fresh breezy air.

   1863 October 3, Mary Eyre, “Saumur. Les Pierres Couvertes. Le Carrousel.”, in [Samuel Lucas], editor, Once a Week. An Illustrated Miscellany of Literature, Art, Science, & Popular Information, volume IX, number 223, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], →OCLC, page 418, column 2

   3 more examples

   Against intruding uncalled, and without a proper Sybilline conductress, into the realms of grim Pluto, he might have objections, not easily removed; but against a clamber to the scene of Jove's own Court [Mount Olympus], no objection could possibly lie, except the danger of breaking his neck, in coming down again;—much too trivial to deter a true virtuoso adept.

   1814 February, J[ohn] C[am] Hobhouse, “A Journey through Albania, and Other Provinces of Turkey in Europe and Asia, to Constantinople, during the Years 1809 and 1810”, in The Literary Panorama […], volume XV, London: Printed by Jones and Hatfield, […], for C. Taylor, […], →OCLC, column 147

   The entrance to the caves is not far from the further gate of the park. Their position is truly disappointing. I had anticipated a clamber half up the side of the mountain, and then some vast rift of chasm, not attainable without difficulty and danger.

   1847 April 1–7, William Bennett, “Letter X. Dublin—Cahirciveen.”, in Narrative of a Recent Journey of Six Weeks in Ireland, […], London: Charles Gilpin, […]; John Hatchard & Son, […]; Dublin: J. Curry, Jun. & Co., →OCLC, page 108

   They [the author's cats] loved a large Ordnance Survey map above all things, or a clamber across the electric typewriter (though they never succeeded in typing their names, as my Chiltern cat Pip, in a moment of serendipitous dancing, very nearly did).

   2005, Richard Mabey, “Lair”, in Nature Cure, London: Chatto & Windus, →ISBN; republished Charlottesville, Va.: University of Virginia Press, 2007, →ISBN, page 76