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mix-up

[miks-uhp]
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noun
  1. a confused state of things; muddle; tangle.
  2. a fight.
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Origin of mix-up

First recorded in 1835–45; noun use of verb phrase mix up

mix

[miks]
verb (used with object), mixed or mixt, mix·ing.
  1. to combine (substances, elements, things, etc.) into one mass, collection, or assemblage, generally with a thorough blending of the constituents.
  2. to put together indiscriminately or confusedly (often followed by up).
  3. to combine, unite, or join: to mix business and pleasure.
  4. to add as an element or ingredient: Mix some salt into the flour.
  5. to form or make by combining ingredients: to mix a cake; to mix mortar.
  6. to crossbreed.
  7. Movies.
    1. to combine, blend, edit, etc. (the various components of a soundtrack): to mix dialogue and sound effects.
    2. to complete the mixing process on (a film, soundtrack, etc.): an important movie that took months to mix.
  8. to combine (two or more separate recordings or microphone signals) to make a single recording or composite signal.
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verb (used without object), mixed or mixt, mix·ing.
  1. to become mixed: a paint that mixes easily with water.
  2. to associate or mingle, as in company: to mix with the other guests at a party.
  3. to be crossbred, or of mixed breeding.
  4. Boxing. to exchange blows vigorously and aggressively: The crowd jeered as the fighters clinched, refusing to mix.
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noun
  1. an act or instance of mixing.
  2. the result of mixing; mixture: cement mix; an odd mix of gaiety and sadness.
  3. a commercially prepared blend of ingredients to which usually only a liquid must be added to make up the total of ingredients necessary or obtain the desired consistency: a cake mix; muffin mix.
  4. Music. music or songs selected and recorded as a mixtape: the ultimate one-hour workout mix; a mix of Christmas songs; a DJ mix.
  5. mixer(def 4).
  6. the proportion of ingredients in a mixture; formula: a mix of two to one.
  7. Informal. a mess or muddle; mix-up.
  8. Music. an electronic blending of tracks or sounds made to produce a recording.
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Verb Phrases
  1. mix down, to mix the tracks of an existing recording to make a new recording with fewer tracks: the four-track tape was mixed down to stereo.
  2. mix up,
    1. to confuse completely, especially to mistake one person or thing for another: The teacher was always mixing up the twins.
    2. to involve or entangle.
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Idioms
  1. mix it up, Slang.
    1. to engage in a quarrel.
    2. to fight with the fists.
    Also mix it.
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Origin of mix

1470–80; back formation from mixt mixed
Related formsmix·a·ble, adjectivemix·a·bil·i·ty, mix·a·ble·ness, nouno·ver·mix, verbun·mix, verb (used with object)un·mix·a·ble, adjective

Synonyms

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1, 9. commingle, jumble, unite, amalgamate, fuse. Mix, blend, combine, mingle concern the bringing of two or more things into more or less intimate association. Mix is the general word for such association: to mix fruit juices. Blend implies such a harmonious joining of two or more types of colors, feelings, etc., that the new product formed displays some of the qualities of each: to blend fragrances or whiskeys. Combine implies such a close or intimate union that distinction between the parts is lost: to combine forces. Mingle usually suggests retained identity of the parts: to mingle voices. 9. coalesce. 14. concoction; formula.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

plightdilemmaimbrogliomuddlemisinterpretationconfusionmisjudgmenterrormisconceptionmix-upmistaketanglechaosquagmireturmoildisturbancebrawlstrifeuproarprotest

Examples from the Web for mixup

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • I did that boy a wrong, 'Mona, an' guessed it all the time, just because he had a mixup with Ford.

    Oh, You Tex!

    William Macleod Raine

  • I reckon we better not say anything about my mixup with his folks.

    Crooked Trails and Straight

    William MacLeod Raine

  • You know the trouble that came from that mixup with Sandy Jackson.

  • Champ, the bull terrier who caused the mixup, was uninjured.

    Pieces of Hate

    Heywood Broun

  • In the mixup my weight struck Bosey and fractured his collar-bone.

    Football Days

    William H. Edwards

British Dictionary definitions for mixup

mix

verb
  1. (tr) to combine or blend (ingredients, liquids, objects, etc) together into one mass
  2. (intr) to become or have the capacity to become combined, joined, etcsome chemicals do not mix
  3. (tr) to form (something) by combining two or more constituentsto mix cement
  4. (tr; often foll by in or into) to add as an additional part or element (to a mass or compound)to mix flour into a batter
  5. (tr) to do at the same time; combineto mix study and pleasure
  6. (tr) to consume (drinks or foods) in close succession
  7. to come or cause to come into association sociallyPauline has never mixed well
  8. (intr often foll by with) to go together; complement
  9. (tr) to crossbreed (differing strains of plants or breeds of livestock), esp more or less at random
  10. (tr) electronics to combine (two or more signals)
  11. music
    1. (in sound recording) to balance and adjust (the recorded tracks) on a multitrack tape machine
    2. (in live performance) to balance and adjust (the output levels from microphones and pick-ups)
  12. (tr) to merge (two lengths of film) so that the effect is imperceptible
  13. mix it informal
    1. to cause mischief or trouble, often for a person namedshe tried to mix it for John
    2. to fight
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noun
  1. the act or an instance of mixing
  2. the result of mixing; mixture
  3. a mixture of ingredients, esp one commercially prepared for making a cake, bread, etc
  4. music the sound obtained by mixing
  5. building trades civil engineering the proportions of cement, sand, and aggregate in mortar, plaster, or concrete
  6. informal a state of confusion, bewilderment
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See also mix-up
Derived Formsmixable, adjectivemixability, noun

Word Origin

C15: back formation from mixt mixed, via Old French from Latin mixtus, from miscēre to mix

mix-up

noun
  1. a confused condition or situation
  2. informal a fight
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verb mix up (tr, adverb)
  1. to make into a mixtureto mix up ingredients
  2. to confuse or confoundTom mixes John up with Bill
  3. (often passive) to put (someone) into a state of confusionI'm all mixed up
  4. (foll by in or with; usually passive) to involve (in an activity or group, esp one that is illegal)why did you get mixed up in that drugs racket?
  5. mix it up US and Canadian informal to fight
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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

Word Origin and History for mixup

mix

v.

1530s, back-formation from Middle English myxte (early 15c.) "composed of more than one element, of mixed nature," from Anglo-French mixte, from Latin mixtus, past participle of miscere "to mix, mingle, blend; fraternize with; throw into confusion," from PIE *meik- "to mix" (cf. Sanskrit misrah "mixed," Greek misgein, mignynai "to mix, mix up, mingle; to join, bring together; join (battle); make acquainted with," Old Church Slavonic mešo, mesiti "to mix," Russian meshat, Lithuanian maišau "to mix, mingle," Welsh mysgu). Also borrowed in Old English as miscian. Related: Mixed; mixing.

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mix

n.

1580s, "act of mixing," from mix (v.).

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mix-up

n.

"confusion," 1841, from mix (v.) + up.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper