mess

[mes]

noun

1. a dirty, untidy, or disordered condition.

   The room was in a mess.

   Antonyms: order

2. a person or thing that is dirty, untidy, or disordered.

3. a state of embarrassing confusion.

   My affairs are in a mess.

   Synonyms: muddle, hodgepodge, farrago, confusion, disarray, disorder

4. an unpleasant or difficult situation.

   She got into a mess driving without a license.

   Synonyms: pickle, plight, predicament

5. a dirty or untidy mass, litter, or jumble.

   a mess of papers.

6. a group regularly taking their meals together.

7. the meal so taken.

8. mess hall.

9. Naval.,  messroom.

10. a quantity of food sufficient for a dish or a single occasion.

    to pick a mess of sweet corn for dinner.

11. a sloppy or unappetizing preparation of food.

12. a dish or quantity of soft or liquid food.

    to cook up a nice mess of pottage.

13. a person whose life or affairs are in a state of confusion, especially a person with a confused or disorganized moral or psychological outlook.

verb (used with object)

1. to make dirty or untidy (often followed byup ).

   Don't mess the room.

2. to make a mess or muddle of (affairs, responsibilities, etc.) (often followed byup ).

   They messed the deal.

   Synonyms: mix up, botch
   Antonyms: tidy, neaten, arrange

3. to supply with meals, as military personnel.

4. to treat roughly; beat up (usually followed byup ).

   The gang messed him up.

verb (used without object)

1. to eat in company, especially as a member of a mess.

2. to make a dirty or untidy mess.

verb phrase

1. mess up

   1. to make dirty, untidy, or disordered.

   2. to make muddled, confused, etc.; make a mess of; spoil; botch.

   3. to perform poorly; bungle.

      She messed up on the final exam.

2. mess around / about

   1. Informal.,  to busy oneself without purpose or plan; work aimlessly or halfheartedly; putter.

   2. Informal.,  to waste time; loaf.

   3. Informal.,  to meddle or interfere.

   4. Informal.,  to involve or associate oneself, especially for immoral or unethical purposes.

      His wife accused him of messing around with gamblers.

   5. Slang.,  to trifle sexually; philander.

3. mess in / with,  to intervene officiously; meddle.

   You'll get no thanks for messing in the affairs of others.

mess

/ mɛs /

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

4. archaic,  a portion of food, esp soft or semiliquid food

5. a place where service personnel eat or take recreation

   an officers' mess

6. a group of people, usually servicemen, who eat together

7. the meal so taken

8. a material gain involving the sacrifice of a higher value

verb

1. to muddle or dirty

2. (intr) to make a mess

3. to interfere; meddle

4. (intr; often foll by with or together) military to group together, esp for eating

Word History and Origins

Origin of mess¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English mes, from Old French: “course at a meal,” from Late Latin missus “(something) sent” (i.e., put on the table), noun use of past participle of Latin mittere “to send”

Word History and Origins

Origin of mess¹

C13: from Old French mes dish of food, from Late Latin missus course (at table), from Latin mittere to send forth, set out

Idioms and Phrases

• get into trouble (a mess)
• make a hash (mess) of

Related Words

• chaos 
• clutter 
• confusion 
• debris 
• disarray 
• jumble 
• mayhem 
• shambles 
• turmoil 
• wreck 
• wreckage