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1. Dictionary

   Mess

   /mes/

   

   noun

   • 1. a dirty or untidy state of things or of a place: "she made a mess of the kitchen" Similar untidinessdisorderdisarrayclutterheapshambleslittertanglejumblemuddlemishmashchaosconfusiondisorganizationturmoilinformal:muckfrightsightdog's dinner/breakfasttip
   • ▪ a thing or collection of things causing an untidy or dirty state: "she replaced the jug and mopped up the mess"
   • ▪ a person who is dirty or untidy: "I look a mess"
   • ▪ used euphemistically to refer to the excrement of a domestic animal: "dog mess" Similar excrementdungmuckfecesexcretadirt
   • 2. a situation or state of affairs that is confused or full of difficulties: "the economy is still in a terrible mess" Similar plightpredicamentemergencytight spottight cornerdifficultystraitstroublequandarydilemmaproblemmuddlemix-upconfusioncomplicationimbroglioentanglementmireinformal:jamfixpicklestewhot waterholepretty/fine kettle of fishscrapemuddlebotchbunglewreckinformal:hashmuckfoul-upscrewupcock-upshamblesomnishamblescar crashsnafuvulgar slang:fuck-upballs-up
   • ▪ a person whose life or affairs are confused or troubled: "he needs treatment of some kind—he's a real mess"
   • 3. a portion of semisolid or pulpy food, especially one that looks unappetizing: "a mess of mashed black beans and rice"
   • 4. a building or room in which members of the armed forces take their meals; mess hall: "the sergeants' mess"
   • ▪ a meal taken there.

   verb

   • 1. make untidy or dirty: "she scratched her head, messing her hair still further"
   • ▪ (of a domestic animal) defecate: "they had some problems with dogs messing in the store"
   • ▪ make dirty by defecating: "he feared he would mess the bed"
   • 2. take one's meals in a particular place or with a particular person, especially in an armed forces' mess: "I messed at first with Harry, who was to become a lifelong friend"

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French mes ‘portion of food’, from late Latin missum ‘something put on the table’, past participle of mittere ‘send, put’. The original sense was ‘a serving of (semiliquid) food’, later ‘liquid food for an animal’; this gave rise (early 19th century) to the senses ‘unappetizing concoction’ and ‘predicament’, on which sense 1 is based. In late Middle English the term also denoted any of the small groups into which the company at a banquet was divided (who were served from the same dishes); hence, ‘a group who regularly eat together’ (recorded in military use from the mid 16th century).

   Scrabble Points: 6

   • M

     3

   • E

     1

   • S

     1

   • S

     1

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2. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › messMess Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › mess

   • Cached

   : one that is disordered, untidy, offensive, or unpleasant usually because of blundering, laxity, or misconduct. [the movie] is a mess, as sloppy in concept as it is in execution Judith Crist.

3. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishMESS | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   MESS definition: 1. Mess or a mess is something or someone that looks dirty or untidy: 2. an animal's solid waste…. Learn more.

4. dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionaryMESS | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionary

   • Cached

   a situation that is full of problems: She said that her life was a mess. I got myself into a mess by telling a lie. The company's finances are in a mess. [ S ] a person whose life is full of problems they cannot deal with: After the divorce he was a real mess and started drinking too much. make a mess of something.

5. www.dictionary.com › browse › messMESS Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › mess

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   a person or thing that is dirty, untidy, or disordered. a state of embarrassing confusion: My affairs are in a mess. Synonyms: muddle, hodgepodge, farrago, confusion, disarray, disorder. an unpleasant or difficult situation: She got into a mess driving without a license. Synonyms: pickle, plight, predicament.

6. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › messMess - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › mess

   A mess is a generally dirty state, like your bedroom, your hair, or anything else that's untidy. If you make a huge mess when you cook, you probably try to get someone else to do the clean-up.

7. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishMESS definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

   • Cached

   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.

8. www.thefreedictionary.com › messMess - definition of mess by The Free Dictionary

   www.thefreedictionary.com › mess

   • Cached

   n. 1. a. A cluttered, untidy, usually dirty place or condition: The kitchen was a mess. b. Something that is disorderly or dirty, as a accumulation or heap: Who left the mess on the kitchen floor? 2. a. A confused, troubling, or embarrassing condition or situation: With divorce and bankruptcy proceedings pending, his personal life was in a mess. b.