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View synonyms for mess

mess

[ mes ]

noun

  1. a dirty, untidy, or disordered condition:

    The room was in a mess.

    Antonyms: order

  2. a person or thing that is dirty, untidy, or disordered.
  3. a state of embarrassing confusion:

    My affairs are in a mess.

    Synonyms: muddle, hodgepodge, farrago, confusion, disarray, disorder

  4. an unpleasant or difficult situation:

    She got into a mess driving without a license.

    Synonyms: pickle, plight, predicament

  5. a dirty or untidy mass, litter, or jumble:

    a mess of papers.

  6. a group regularly taking their meals together.
  7. the meal so taken.
  8. a quantity of food sufficient for a dish or a single occasion:

    to pick a mess of sweet corn for dinner.

  9. a sloppy or unappetizing preparation of food.
  10. a dish or quantity of soft or liquid food:

    to cook up a nice mess of pottage.

  11. a person whose life or affairs are in a state of confusion, especially a person with a confused or disorganized moral or psychological outlook.


verb (used with object)

  1. to make dirty or untidy (often followed by up ):

    Don't mess the room.

  2. to make a mess or muddle of (affairs, responsibilities, etc.) (often followed by up ):

    They messed the deal.

    Synonyms: botch, mix up

    Antonyms: tidy, neaten, arrange

  3. to supply with meals, as military personnel.
  4. to treat roughly; beat up (usually followed by up ):

    The gang messed him up.

verb (used without object)

  1. to eat in company, especially as a member of a mess.
  2. to make a dirty or untidy mess.

verb phrase

    1. to make dirty, untidy, or disordered.
    2. to make muddled, confused, etc.; make a mess of; spoil; botch.
    3. to perform poorly; bungle:

      She messed up on the final exam.

    1. Informal. to busy oneself without purpose or plan; work aimlessly or halfheartedly; putter.
    2. Informal. to waste time; loaf.
    3. Informal. to meddle or interfere.
    4. Informal. to involve or associate oneself, especially for immoral or unethical purposes:

      His wife accused him of messing around with gamblers.

    5. Slang. to trifle sexually; philander.
  1. to intervene officiously; meddle:

    You'll get no thanks for messing in the affairs of others.

mess

/ mɛs /

noun

  1. a state of confusion or untidiness, esp if dirty or unpleasant

    the house was in a mess

  2. a chaotic or troublesome state of affairs; muddle

    his life was a mess

  3. informal.
    a dirty or untidy person or thing
  4. archaic.
    a portion of food, esp soft or semiliquid food
  5. a place where service personnel eat or take recreation

    an officers' mess

  6. a group of people, usually servicemen, who eat together
  7. the meal so taken
  8. mess of pottage
    a material gain involving the sacrifice of a higher value
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


verb

  1. troften foll byup to muddle or dirty
  2. intr to make a mess
  3. introften foll bywith to interfere; meddle
  4. intr; often foll by with or together military to group together, esp for eating
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Word History and Origins

Origin of mess1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English mes, from Old French: “course at a meal,” from Late Latin missus “(something) sent” (i.e., put on the table), noun use of past participle of Latin mittere “to send”
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Word History and Origins

Origin of mess1

C13: from Old French mes dish of food, from Late Latin missus course (at table), from Latin mittere to send forth, set out
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Idioms and Phrases

  • get into trouble (a mess)
  • make a hash (mess) of
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Example Sentences

The upcoming US presidential election seems set to be something of a mess—to put it lightly.

Cleanup also has to be simple, because when your vehicle is full, even small greasy messes can create big problems.

“I just thought it was extremely odd to, say the least – just a way to mess with the homeless and those that need the discount,” Sheetz said.

Work and life were colliding in ways that it was impossible to stay organized and looking at the mess while I was watching TV on the couch was making me more stressed out.

From Fortune

Make the easy into a festering mess of sweat and cursing and they’ll mosey along.

Texas has always had a sense of place—that is why we are told not to mess with it.

It was being the riskiest studio in Hollywood that got Sony into this mess in the first place.

In fact, that candy store is heavy industry, with all the mess that entails.

There was The Brittany Murphy Story, dubbed a “colossal mess” by reviewers.

“The idea was to mess with the concept of Christmas,” recalled John Law, an original Cacophony member.

If Wee Willie Winkie took an interest in anyone, the fortunate man was envied alike by the mess and the rank and file.

And yet they tell me he was a pleasant enough fellow in the Mess, this Brigadier, and liked good cooking.

Coming back along the well-beaten sandy track, my heart sank to see our mess tent still lit up at midnight.

Coming back found mess tent brilliantly lit up and my staff entertaining their friends.

I shall make an unholy mess of things if I'm left alone, and if you like I'll keep you on here.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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