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mess

mess

 
 
pronunciation:
mes
parts of speech:
noun, verb
phrases:
mess around
features:
Word Combinations (noun, verb), Word History, Word Explorer
part of speech: noun
definition 1: a state of being dirty or not neat.
I had to agree that my room was a mess.
 
synonyms:
dirtiness, disorder, filthiness, sloppiness, slovenliness
similar words:
jumble, litter, muddle, offensiveness, pigpen, tumble
definition 2: a state of confusion or trouble.
The office was in a mess after the secretary quit.
synonyms:
chaos, confusion, hash, jam, jumble, muddle, snarl, tangle
similar words:
complication, difficulty, dilemma, embarrassment, fix, predicament, scrape, trouble, tumble, turmoil
definition 3: a meal eaten by a group, or the room in which this meal is eaten.
Soldiers eat their meals in the mess.
similar words:
cafeteria, meal, table
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
 
part of speech: verb
inflections: messes, messing, messed
definition 1: to make dirty or not tidy (often followed by "up").
The dogs messed up the garden by digging up the plants.
synonyms:
clutter, dirty, disorder, litter
antonyms:
straighten
similar words:
jumble, muss
definition 2: to ruin or cause problems with (usu. followed by "up").
Losing my ticket messed up my plan to go to the concert.
synonyms:
jumble, muddle, snarl
antonyms:
straighten
similar words:
confuse, spoil, tangle
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
phrase: mess around
Word History
The word mess comes from an early French word that means "an amount of food put out at a meal."
Word Explorer
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  food