Mess: meaning, definitions and examples

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mess

 

[ mes ]

Noun / Verb
Oxford 3000
Context #1 | Noun

communication

A dirty or untidy state of things or of a place.

Synonyms

chaos, clutter, disorder.

Examples of usage

  • The house was in a mess after the party.
  • She always leaves a mess in the kitchen after cooking.
Context #2 | Noun

confusion

A situation or state of affairs that is confused or full of difficulties.

Synonyms

disarray, jumble, muddle.

Examples of usage

  • The project was a mess from the beginning.
  • The meeting ended in a mess with no clear decisions.
Context #3 | Verb

make untidy

To make something dirty or untidy.

Synonyms

clutter, disarrange, disorganize.

Examples of usage

  • Don't mess up your room again!
  • She messed up her chances by arriving late.

Translations

Translations of the word "mess" in other languages:

🇵🇹 bagunça

🇮🇳 गड़बड़

🇩🇪 Unordnung

🇮🇩 kekacauan

🇺🇦 безлад

🇵🇱 bałagan

🇯🇵 混乱 (こんらん)

🇫🇷 désordre

🇪🇸 desorden

🇹🇷 karışıklık

🇰🇷 혼란

🇸🇦 فوضى

🇨🇿 nepořádek

🇸🇰 neporiadok

🇨🇳 混乱 (hùnluàn)

🇸🇮 nered

🇮🇸 óreiða

🇰🇿 бұзылу

🇬🇪 არეულობა

🇦🇿 qarışıqlıq

🇲🇽 desorden

Etymology

The word 'mess' originated in the 13th century from the Old French word 'mes', meaning a portion of food. It later evolved to refer to a dirty or untidy state in the 15th century. Over time, 'mess' has come to be used in various contexts related to disorder, confusion, and untidiness.

See also: messenger, messily, messiness, messy.

Word Frequency Rank

At #6,460 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.