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mess

mess

 
 
pronunciation:
mes
parts of speech:
noun, transitive verb, intransitive verb
phrases:
mess around, mess up
features:
Word Combinations (noun, verb), Word History, Word Explorer
part of speech: noun
definition 1: a state of dirtiness or disorder, or something characterized by such.
The house has been in a complete mess since the baby arrived.Your desk is a mess; how can you find anything?
 
synonyms:
clutter, dirtiness, disarray, disorder, filthiness, sloppiness, slovenliness, untidiness
similar words:
botch, dirt, hodgepodge, jumble, litter, mare's-nest, mishmash, muddle, muss, offensiveness, pigpen, tumble, upset
definition 2: a confusing, embarrassing, or troublesome state of affairs.
With neither making much money, their financial situation was a mess.Who can sort out this political mess?
synonyms:
botch, chaos, confusion, hash, hot water, jam, jumble, kettle of fish, muddle, snarl, tangle
similar words:
bedlam, bungle, complication, difficulty, dilemma, embarrassment, fix, foul-up, imbroglio, pandemonium, perplexity, pickle, predicament, scrape, screwup, snafu, trouble, tumble, turmoil
definition 3: (informal) one whose appearance or whose life is in a disorderly or chaotic condition.
My brother was a mess when I saw him; he'd obviously been living on the streets, and his clothes looked like rags.I'm such a mess! I just can't seem to organize my life!He's been a mess since his wife left him.
synonyms:
wreck
similar words:
foul-up, nut-case, sadsack, scatterbrain, screwup, wretch
definition 4: a group of people, usu. in military service, who regularly eat meals together.
There was a great joke going around the mess at that time, but I can't remember all of it now.
definition 5: a meal eaten by such a group, or the room in which this meal is eaten.
Soldiers eat their meals in the mess.
similar words:
cafeteria, commissary, meal, mess hall, refectory, repast, sitting, table
definition 6: an amount of something, usu. edible, sufficient for a single person or occasion.
a mess of porridge
similar words:
amount, portion, quantity, serving
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
 
part of speech: transitive verb
inflections: messes, messing, messed
definition 1: to make dirty, untidy, or disorderly (often fol. by "up").
Look how these dogs are allowed to mess the sidewalks!Please don't mess my papers. I've got everything in order now.I had just cleaned up the living room when the children came in and messed it up again.She was annoyed at how the wind had messed up her hair.
synonyms:
clutter, dirty, disarray, disorder, disorganize, litter, untidy
antonyms:
straighten
similar words:
jumble, muss, rumple
definition 2: to ruin or cause problems with; botch; make a muddle of (usu. fol. by "up").
I got distracted and messed up my golf shot.The weather certainly messed up our vacation plans.
synonyms:
botch, bungle, hash, jumble, muddle, snarl
antonyms:
straighten
similar words:
confuse, muff, spoil, tangle
 
part of speech: intransitive verb
definition 1: to make a mess.
synonyms:
dirty, litter
definition 2: (slang) to meddle or become involved (usu. fol. by "with" or "in").
Hey, you'd better stop messing in my affairs!Look, I don't want to mess with you two, but you should stop and think about what you're doing.
synonyms:
meddle
similar words:
fool, hamper, interfere, interlope, tamper
definition 3: to eat in a military mess.
similar words:
dine, eat, sup
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
phrase: mess around, mess up
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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