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. mess hall.

9. Naval.,  messroom.

10. a quantity of food sufficient for a dish or a single occasion.

    to pick a mess of sweet corn for dinner.

11. a sloppy or unappetizing preparation of food.

12. a dish or quantity of soft or liquid food.

    to cook up a nice mess of pottage.

13. 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 byup ).

   Don't mess the room.

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

   They messed the deal.

   Synonyms: mix up, botch
   Antonyms: tidy, neaten, arrange

3. to supply with meals, as military personnel.

4. to treat roughly; beat up (usually followed byup ).

   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. mess up

   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.

2. mess around / about

   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.

3. mess in / with,  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. a material gain involving the sacrifice of a higher value

verb

1. to muddle or dirty

2. (intr) to make a mess

3. to interfere; meddle

4. (intr; often foll by with or together) military to group together, esp for eating

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”

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

Idioms and Phrases

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

Example Sentences

I side with the recent letter writer who offered a solution to this mess: a two-starter approach.

From Los Angeles Times

Minguela lay in his darkened cell, reflecting on moments when he had arrived home, tired from work and traffic, and scolded his children about minor messes.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s that twinkle that got me into this mess in the first place.

From Los Angeles Times

Another opponent, Lord Patten, branded the bill an "unholy legislative mess" that he said could lead to death becoming the "default solution to perceived suffering".

From BBC

President Macron insists he can extricate the country from the mess but he has just 18 months remaining of his second term.

From BBC

Related Words

• chaos 
• clutter 
• confusion 
• debris 
• disarray 
• jumble 
• mayhem 
• shambles 
• turmoil 
• wreck 
• wreckage