mess
mess Lexical Profile
mess Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A dirty, untidy, or disorderly state of things, or a collection of things that are scattered and disorganized.
"Please clean up the mess in the kitchen before our guests arrive."
A situation that is full of problems, confusion, or difficulty, or a person experiencing severe emotional or financial trouble.
"The company's finances were in a complete mess after years of poor management."
A building or room in a military base or on a ship where service members eat their meals and socialize.
"The officers gathered in the mess for dinner after the training exercise."
A portion or dish of soft, pulpy, or liquid food prepared for a meal (now mainly regional or historical).
"He cooked a fresh mess of greens and beans for supper."
• verb
To make something untidy, dirty, or disorganized, or to bungle a task (often used with 'up').
"The strong wind messed her hair as she walked across the bridge."
To meddle, interfere, or handle something carelessly (usually followed by 'with' or 'around').
"Do not mess with the settings on the laboratory equipment unless you are trained."
To eat meals together as part of a group, especially in a military dining hall.
"The visiting naval cadets messed with the ship's crew during the voyage."
• Rhymes for mess
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English mes ('a serving of food'), borrowed from Old French mes, from Late Latin missus ('a course at a meal'), originally the past participle of Latin mittere ('to send, put on the table'). The sense of 'disorderly state or jumble' developed in the 19th century from earlier references to mixed-up or unappetizing food for animals.