pell-mell

or pell·mell

[ pel-mel ]

/ ˈpɛlˈmɛl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pell-mell ON THESAURUS.COM

adverb

in disorderly, headlong haste; in a recklessly hurried manner.

in a confused or jumbled mass, crowd, manner, etc.: The crowd rushed pell-mell into the store when the doors opened.

adjective

indiscriminate; disorderly; confused: a pell-mell dash after someone.

overhasty or precipitate; rash: pell-mell spending.

noun

a confused or jumbled mass, crowd, etc.

disorderly, headlong haste.

Nearby words

peliosis hepatis, pelisse, pelite, pelitic, pelizaeus-merzbacher disease, pell-mell, pella, pellagra, pellagra-preventive factor, pellagrin, pellan

Origin of pell-mell

1570–80; < Middle French pelemele, Old French pesle mesle, rhyming compound based on mesler to mix. See meddle

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for pell-mell

For now, the momentum does appear to be firmly behind the rebel forces in the east and their pell-mell dash through the desert.
Libya's Rebels Advance on Gaddafi's Hometown|Babak Dehghanpisheh|March 5, 2011|DAILY BEAST
And then the crowd went after Jack, Pepper, and Andy pell-mell.
The Putnam Hall Cadets|Arthur M. Winfield
They jumped onto the 'mustang' table and then to the hazard table and into the crowd, pell-mell, out of windows.
Chiquita, an American Novel|Merrill Tileston
Such a pell-mell, such a welter, cavalry and musketeers all jumbled: our King must have given them a dreadful lathering.
History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Vol. XVIII. (of XXI.)|Thomas Carlyle

But, as she gazed, Henry's words returned to her, and all manner of ideas struck her pell-mell.
Put Yourself in His Place|Charles Reade
If they had trudged or scurried along, pell-mell, I should not have minded.
The Patient Observer|Simeon Strunsky

British Dictionary definitions for pell-mell

pell-mell

/ (ˈpɛlˈmɛl) /

adverb

in a confused headlong rushthe hounds ran pell-mell into the yard

in a disorderly mannerthe things were piled pell-mell in the room

adjective

disordered; tumultuousa pell-mell rush for the exit

noun

disorder; confusion

Word Origin for pell-mell

C16: from Old French pesle-mesle, jingle based on mesler to meddle

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

Culture definitions for pell-mell

pell-mell

In a confused, disorderly manner: “After the assembly, the students ran pell-mell from the auditorium.”