Online Etymology Dictionary

scraggy (adj.): early 13c., "rough, jagged" (figurative); 1570s, of landscape, "rough, rugged, stumpy;" 1610s, of persons, "gaunt and wasted;" see scrag + -y (2), and cf. scroggy. Related: Scragginess.
scram (v.): 1928, U.S. slang, either a shortened form of scramble (q.v.) or from German schramm, imperative singular of schrammen "depart." Related: Scrammed; scramming.
scramble (v.): 1580s, perhaps a nasalized variant of scrabble (v.), in its sense of "to struggle, to scrape quickly." Broadcasting sense is attested from 1927. Related: Scrambled; scrambling. Scrambled eggs first recorded 1864.
scramble (n.): 1670s, from scramble (v.). Meaning "rapid take-off" first recorded 1940, R.A.F. slang.
scrannel (adj.): "thin, meager," 1630s; any modern use traces to John Milton ("Lycidas," 124), who may have invented it out of dialectal scranny (see scrawny). Or from a Scandinavian source akin to Norwegian skran "rubbish."
scrap (v.1): "to make into scrap," 1891, from scrap (n.1). Related: Scrapped; scrapping.
scrap (v.2): "to fight, brawl," 1874, from scrap (n.2). Related: Scrapped; scrapping.
scrap (n.1): "small piece," late 14c., from Old Norse skrap "scraps, trifles," from skrapa "to scrape" (see scrape). Meaning "remains of metal produced after rolling or casting" is from 1790. Scrap iron first recorded 1823.
scrap (n.2): "fight," 1846, possibly a variant of scrape (n.) on the notion of "an abrasive encounter." But Weekley suggests obsolete colloquial scrap "scheme, villainy, vile intention" (1670s).
scrapbook (n.): 1825, from scrap (n.1) + book (n.). As a verb, by 1889. Related: Scrapbooked; scrapbooking.
scrape (v.): c.1300, probably from Old Norse skrapa "to scrape, erase," from Proto-Germanic *skrapojan (cf. Old English scrapian "to scrape," Dutch schrapen, German schrappen). To scrape the bottom of the barrel in figurative sense is from 1942.
scrape (n.): mid-15c., "a scraping instrument;" late 15c., "act of scraping or scratching," from scrape (v.). Meaning "embarrassing or awkward predicament" is recorded from 1709, as OED suggests, "probably from the notion of being 'scraped' in going through a narrow passage."
scraper (n.): 1560s, agent noun from scrape (v.).
scrapple (n.): cornmeal boiled in scraps of pork, 1855, probably a diminutive form of scrap (n.1).
scrappy (adj.): "consisting of scraps," 1837, from scrap (n.1). Meaning "inclined to fight" (1895) is from scrap (v.2).
scratch (v.): c.1400, probably a fusion of Middle English scratten and crachen, both meaning "to scratch," both of uncertain origin. Related: Scratched; scratching. Billiards sense of "to hit the cue ball into a pocket" is first recorded 1909 (also, originally, itch), though earlier it meant "a lucky shot" (1850). Meaning "to withdraw (a horse) from a race" is 1865, from notion of scratching name off list of competitors; used in a non-sporting sense of "cancel a plan, etc." from 1680s.
scratch (n.): 1580s, from scratch (v.). Slang sense of "money" is from 1914, of uncertain signification. Many figurative senses (e.g. up to scratch) are from sporting use for "line or mark drawn as a starting place," attested from 1778 (but the earliest use is figurative); meaning "nothing" (in from scratch) is 1922, also from sporting sense of "starting point of a competitor who receives no odds in a handicap match."
Scratch (n.): in Old Scratch "the Devil," 1740, is from earlier Scrat, from Old Norse skratte "goblin, monster," a word which was used in late Old English for "hermaphrodite" (cf. Old High German scrato "satyr, wood demon").
scratchy (adj.): 1710, from scratch (n.) + -y (2). Of sounds (especially in reproduction) from 1889. Related: Scratchiness.
scrawl (v.): 1610s, perhaps from Middle English scrawlen "spread out the limbs, sprawl" (late 14c.), which possibly is an alteration of sprawlen (see sprawl) or crawl. Related: Scrawled; scrawling. The noun is recorded from 1690s.
scrawny (adj.): 1833, apparently a dialectal variant of scranny "lean, thin" (1820), which is of uncertain origin, perhaps from Old Norse skrælna "to shrivel."
scream (v.): late 12c., scræmen, of uncertain origin, similar to words in Scandinavian, Dutch, German, and Flemish (cf. Old Norse skræma "to terrify, scare," Swedish scrana "to scream," Old High German scrian, German schreien "to cry"). Related: Screamed; screaming. Screaming meemies is World War I army slang, originally a soldiers' name for a type of German artillery shell that made a loud noise in flight (from French woman's name Mimi), extended to the battle fatigue caused by long exposure to enemy fire.
scream (n.): mid-15c., from scream (v.).
And (as they say) lamentings heard i' th' Ayre; Strange Schreemes of Death. ["Macbeth," II.iii.61]
Shakespeare's spelling probably reflects "sk-" as spelled in words from Latin (e.g. school); he also has schreene for screen. Slang meaning "something that evokes a cry of laughter" is 1903; screamer in this sense is from 1831.
scree (n.): 1781, back-formation from screes (plural) "pebbles, small stones," from Old Norse skriða "landslide," from skriða "to slide, glide," from Proto-Germanic *skrithanan (cf. Old English scriþan "to go, glide," Old Saxon skridan, Dutch schrijden, Old High German scritan, German schreiten "to stride").
screech (v.): mid-13c., schrichen, possibly of imitative origin (cf. shriek). Related: Screeched; screeching. Screech owl is attested from 1590s (scritch-owl is from 1520s).
screech (n.): 1550s, from screech (v.).
screed (n.): early 14c., "fragment, strip of cloth," from northern England dialectal variant of Old English screade (see shred). Meaning "lengthy speech" is first recorded 1789, from notion of reading from a long list.
screen (n.): mid-14c., "upright piece of furniture providing protection from heat of a fire, drafts, etc.," probably from a shortened (Anglo-French?) variant of Old North French escren, Old French escran "a screen against heat" (early 14c.), perhaps from Middle Dutch scherm "screen, cover," or Frankish *skrank "barrier," from a Germanic root related to Old High German skirm, skerm "protection" (cf. skirmish).

Meaning "net-wire frame used in windows and doors" is recorded from 1895. Meaning "flat horizontal surface for reception of projected images" is from 1810, originally in reference to magic lantern shows; later of movies. Transferred sense of "cinema world collectively" is attested from 1914; hence screen test (1918), etc. Screen saver first attested 1990.
screen (v.): "to shield from punishment, to conceal," late 15c., from screen (n.). Meaning "examine systematically for suitability" is from 1943; sense of "to release a movie" is from 1915. Related: Screened; screening.
screenplay (n.): 1916, from screen (n.) + play (n.).
screenshot (n.): by 1991, from (computer) screen (n.) + shot (n.) in the photograph sense.
screenwriter (n.): 1921, from screen (n.) in the film sense + writer.
screw (n.): c.1400, from Middle French escroue "nut, cylindrical socket, screwhole," of uncertain etymology; not found in other Romanic languages. Perhaps via Gallo-Romance *scroba or West Germanic *scruva from Vulgar Latin scrobis "screw-head groove," in classical Latin "ditch, trench," also "vagina" (Diez, though OED finds this "phonologically impossible").

Kluge and others trace it to Latin scrofa "breeding sow," perhaps based on the shape of a pig's penis (cf. Portuguese porca, Spanish perca "a female screw," from Latin porca "sow"). A group of apparently cognate Germanic words (Middle Low German, Middle Dutch schruve, Dutch schroef, German Schraube, Swedish skrufva "screw") often are said to be French loan-words.

Sense of "means of pressure or coercion" is from 1640s, probably in reference to instruments of torture (e.g. thumbscrews). Meaning "prison guard, warden" is 1812 in underworld slang, originally in reference to the key they carried. To have a screw loose "have a dangerous (usually mental) weakness" is recorded from 1810.
screw (v.): "to twist (something) like a screw," 1590s, from screw (n.). Slang meaning "to copulate" dates from at least 1725, on the notion of driving a screw into something. Meaning "a prostitute" also is attested from 1725. Slang meaning "an act of copulation" (n.) is recorded from 1929. First recorded 1949 in exclamations as a euphemism. Related: Screwed; screwing.
screwball (n.): "eccentric person," 1933, U.S. slang, earlier as a type of erratic baseball pitch (1928), from a still earlier name for a type of delivery in cricket (1866), from screw (n.) + ball (n.1). Screwball comedy is attested from 1938.
screwdriver (n.): "tool for driving screws," 1779, from screw (n.) + driver. Meaning "cocktail made from vodka and orange juice" is recorded from 1956. (Screwed/screwy had a sense of "drunk" since 19c.).
screwy (adj.): 1820, originally "tipsy, slightly drunk," from screw (n.) + -y (2.). Sense of "crazy, ridiculous" first recorded 1887. Related: Screwiness.
scribble (v.): mid-15c., from Medieval Latin scribillare, diminutive of Latin scribere "to write" (see script). Related: Scribbled; scribbling. The noun is from 1570s.
scribbler (n.): "petty author," 1550s, agent noun from scribble (v.).
scribe (v.): "to write," mid-15c., from Latin scribere "to write" (see script).
scribe (n.): c.1200, "professional interpreter of the Jewish Law" (late 11c. as a surname), from Late Latin scriba "teacher of Jewish law," used in Vulgate to render Greek grammateus, corresponding to Hebrew sopher "writer, scholar." In secular Latin, scriba meant "keeper of accounts, secretary" (from scribere "to write;" see script). It recovered this sense in English from late 14c.
scrim (n.): "upholstery lining," 1792, of unknown origin.
scrimmage (n.): late 15c., alteration of skirmish. Meaning in rugby and U.S. football dates from 1857, originally "a confused struggle between players."
scrimmage (v.): 1825, from scrimmage (n.). Related: Scrimmaged; scrimmaging.
scrimp (v.): "to make too small," 1774, originally an adjective, "scant, meager" (1718), possibly from a Scandinavian source (cf. Swedish skrumpna "to shrink, shrivel up"), or from a continental Germanic source akin to Middle High German schrimpfen, German schrumpfen "to shrivel" (cf. shrimp). Related: Scrimped; scrimping.
scrimshaw (n.): 1864, back-formation from scrimshander ("Moby Dick," 1851), scrimshonting (1825), American English nautical word, of unknown origin. Scrimshaw is an English surname, attested from mid-12c., from Old French escremisseor "fencing-master."
scrip (n.): "a certificate of a right to receive something (especially a stock share)," 1762, probably shortened from (sub)scrip(tion) receipt. Originally "receipt for a portion of a loan subscribed," meaning "certificate issued as currency" first recorded 1790.
script (n.): late 14c., "something written," from Old French escrit (Modern French écrit) "a writing, written paper," from Latin scriptum "a writing, book, law, line, mark," noun use of neuter past participle of scribere "to write," from PIE *skreibh- (cf. Greek skariphasthai "to scratch an outline, sketch," Lettish skripat "scratch, write," Old Norse hrifa "scratch"), from root *sker- "cut, incise" (cf. Old English sceran "cut off, shear;" see shear) on the notion of carving marks in stone, wood, etc.

Meaning "handwriting" is recorded from 1860. Theatrical use, short for manuscript, is attested from 1897. The importance of Rome to the spread of civilization in Europe is attested by the fact that the word for "write" in Romance, Celtic and Germanic languages derives from scribere (e.g. French écrire, Irish scriobhaim, Welsh ysgrifennu, German schreiben), but the cognate Old English scrifan means "to allot, assign, decree" (see shrive; also cf. Old Norse skript "penance") and Modern English uses write (v.) to express this action.
scriptorium (n.): 1774, from Late Latin scriptorium "place for writing," neuter of Latin scriptorius "pertaining to writing," from Latin scriptus, past participle of scribere "to write" (see script (n.)).
scripture (n.): c.1300, "a writing, an act of writing," especially "the sacred writings of the Bible," from Late Latin scriptura "the writings contained in the Bible, a passage from the Bible," from Latin scriptura "a writing, character, inscription," from scriptus, past participle of scribere "write" (see script (n.)).