mess

[ mes ]

/ mɛs /

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noun

a dirty, untidy, or disordered condition: The room was in a mess.

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

a state of embarrassing confusion: My affairs are in a mess.

an unpleasant or difficult situation: She got into a mess driving without a license.

a dirty or untidy mass, litter, or jumble: a mess of papers.

a group regularly taking their meals together.

the meal so taken.

mess hall.

Naval. messroom.

a quantity of food sufficient for a dish or a single occasion: to pick a mess of sweet corn for dinner.

a sloppy or unappetizing preparation of food.

a dish or quantity of soft or liquid food: to cook up a nice mess of pottage.

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)

to make dirty or untidy (often followed by up): Don't mess the room.

to make a mess or muddle of (affairs, responsibilities, etc.) (often followed by up): They messed the deal.

to supply with meals, as military personnel.

to treat roughly; beat up (usually followed by up): The gang messed him up.

verb (used without object)

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

to make a dirty or untidy mess.

Verb Phrases

mess around/about,

Informal. to busy oneself without purpose or plan; work aimlessly or halfheartedly; putter.
Informal. to waste time; loaf.
Informal. to meddle or interfere.
Informal. to involve or associate oneself, especially for immoral or unethical purposes: His wife accused him of messing around with gamblers.
Slang. to trifle sexually; philander.

mess in/with, to intervene officiously; meddle: You'll get no thanks for messing in the affairs of others.

mess up,

to make dirty, untidy, or disordered.
to make muddled, confused, etc.; make a mess of; spoil; botch.
to perform poorly; bungle: She messed up on the final exam.

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Origin of mess

1250–1300; Middle English mes < Old French: a course at a meal < Late Latin missus what is sent (i.e., put on the table), noun use of past participle of Latin mittere to send

SYNONYMS FOR mess

3 muddle, farrago, hodgepodge.

4 predicament, plight, muddle, pickle.

15 confuse, mix up.

SEE SYNONYMS FOR mess ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR mess

1 tidiness.

3 order.

15 arrange.

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Words nearby mess

mesovarium, mesozoa, mesozoan, mesozoic, mesquite, mess, mess about, mess around, mess call, mess gear, mess hall

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

British Dictionary definitions for mess around

mess

/ (mɛs) /

noun

a state of confusion or untidiness, esp if dirty or unpleasantthe house was in a mess

a chaotic or troublesome state of affairs; muddlehis life was a mess

informal a dirty or untidy person or thing

archaic a portion of food, esp soft or semiliquid food

a place where service personnel eat or take recreationan officers' mess

a group of people, usually servicemen, who eat together

the meal so taken

mess of pottage a material gain involving the sacrifice of a higher value

verb

(tr often foll by up) to muddle or dirty

(intr) to make a mess

(intr often foll by with) to interfere; meddle

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

Word Origin for mess

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Idioms and Phrases with mess around (1 of 2)

mess around

see fool around.

Idioms and Phrases with mess around (2 of 2)

mess

In addition to the idioms beginning with mess

mess around
mess up
mess with

also see:

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

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mess