mangle

¹

[ mang-guhl ]

verb (used with object)

, man·gled, man·gling.

1. to injure severely, disfigure, or mutilate by cutting, slashing, or crushing:

   The coat sleeve was mangled in the gears of the machine.

2. to spoil or ruin; mar badly:

   The story was mangled by a clumsy translation.

   Synonyms: destroy, deface

mangle

²

[ mang-guhl ]

noun

1. a machine for smoothing or pressing clothes, household linen, etc., by means of heated rollers.

verb (used with object)

, man·gled, man·gling.

1. to smooth or press with a mangle.
2. Metalworking. to squeeze (metal plates) between rollers.

mangle

¹

/ ˈmæŋɡəl /

noun

1. Also calledwringer a machine for pressing or drying wet textiles, clothes, etc, consisting of two heavy rollers between which the cloth is passed

verb

1. to press or dry in a mangle

mangle

²

/ ˈmæŋɡəl /

verb

1. to mutilate, disfigure, or destroy by cutting, crushing, or tearing
2. to ruin, spoil, or mar

Derived Forms

• ˈmangler, noun
• ˈmangled, adjective

Other Words From

• mangler noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of mangle¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French mangler, perhaps dissimilated variant of Old French mangonner “to mangle”; akin to mangonel

Origin of mangle²

1765–75; < Dutch mangel ≪ Late Latin manganum. See mangonel

Word History and Origins

Origin of mangle¹

C18: from Dutch mangel, ultimately from Late Latin manganum. See mangonel

Origin of mangle²

C14: from Norman French mangler, probably from Old French mahaignier to maim

Synonym Study

See maim.

Example Sentences

We even mangle it into pizza crusts.

From Washington Times

But whether she uses the term “African American woman” or “Black woman,” machine distortions that mangle facial features and hair textures occur at high rates.

From New York Times

Anthony Seward was 20 when his hand was crushed in an industrial mangle - an injury that required multiple surgeries, including having the hand sewn into his abdomen to help it heal.

From BBC

“As they travel the world to some of the most iconic Bond locations, it gets more intense and nail-biting. I enjoyed my role as both villain and tormentor, with license to put the hopeful participants through the mangle.”

From Los Angeles Times

“As they travel the world to some of the most iconic Bond locations, it gets more intense and nail-biting. I enjoyed my role as both villain and tormentor, with license to put the hopeful participants through the mangle.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bruise
• contort
• disfigure
• distort
• hack
• impair
• lacerate
• maim
• maul
• wreck