dishevel
[dih-shev-uh l]
- to let down, as hair, or wear or let hang in loose disorder, as clothing.
- to cause untidiness and disarray in: The wind disheveled the papers on the desk.
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Origin of dishevel
First recorded in 1590–1600; back formation from disheveled
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for dishevel
Historical Examples of dishevel
I never can get them there girls of mine to dishevel themselves in time.
Manners, Vol 1 of 3Frances Brooke
I find it clear and very clarifying, after the innumerable hours I have spent in trying to dishevel him.
The Letters of William James, Vol. IIWilliam James
Rich chaplets these were, that the winds might not dishevel their comely hair, and this is true i' faith.
The NibelungenliedUnknown
dishevel
- to disarrange (the hair or clothes) of (someone)
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Word Origin for dishevel
C15: back formation from dishevelled
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for dishevel
originally an adjective, "bare-headed," late 14c., variant (with muted final -e) of dishevely, from Old French deschevele "bare-headed, with shaven head," past participle adjective from descheveler "to disarrange the hair," from des- "apart" (see dis-) + chevel "hair," from Latin capillus "hair" (see capillary). Of the hair, "dissheveled," mid-15c. OED says use as a verb is chiefly a back-formation from disheveled.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper