v. t. [ OE. hamelen to mutilate, AS. hamelian; akin to OHG. hamalōn to mutilate, hamal mutilated, ham mutilated, Icel. hamla to mutilate. Cf. Hamper to fetter. ] To hamstring. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. schamel a bench, stool, AS. scamel, sceamol, a bench, form, stool, fr. L. scamellum, dim. of scamnum a bench, stool. ] 1. (Mining) One of a succession of niches or platforms, one above another, to hold ore which is thrown successively from platform to platform, and thus raised to a higher level. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. pl. A place where butcher's meat is sold. [ 1913 Webster ]

As summer flies are in the shambles. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. pl. A place for slaughtering animals for meat. [ 1913 Webster ]

To make a shambles of the parliament house. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Shambled p. pr. & vb. n. Shambling ] [ Cf. OD. schampelen to slip, schampen to slip away, escape. Cf. Scamble, Scamper. ] To walk awkwardly and unsteadily, as if the knees were weak; to shuffle along. [ 1913 Webster ]