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

In Paiporta, piles of mangled cars have been created on roundabouts and at other places out of the way of traffic.

From BBC

AI has a lot to answer for — mangled fingers, election misinformation, siphoning the world’s water.

From Los Angeles Times

A vehicle used for TV broadcasts was overturned on its side, its satellite dish mangled with cabling nearby.

From BBC

Now a pile of mangled steel and masonry lies where a number of residential buildings stood closely together.

From BBC

Zahraa wept when she saw footage of their blackened and mangled building.

From BBC

Related Words

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