pell-mell

American  

[pel-mel] / ˈpɛlˈmɛl /

Or pellmell

adverb

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

2. in a confused or jumbled mass, crowd, manner, etc..

   The crowd rushed pell-mell into the store when the doors opened.

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adjective

1. indiscriminate; disorderly; helter-skelter.

   a pell-mell dash after someone.

2. overhasty or precipitate; rash.

   pell-mell spending.

noun

1. a confused or jumbled mass, crowd, etc.

2. disorderly, headlong haste.

pell-mell British  

/ ˈpɛlˈmɛl /

adverb

1. in a confused headlong rush

   the hounds ran pell-mell into the yard

2. in a disorderly manner

   the things were piled pell-mell in the room

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adjective

1. disordered; tumultuous

   a pell-mell rush for the exit

noun

1. disorder; confusion

pell-mell Cultural  

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

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Etymology

Origin of pell-mell

First recorded in 1570–80; from Middle French pelemele, Old French pesle mesle, rhyming compound based on mesler “to mix”; meddle

Example Sentences

“In its pell-mell rush to discharge patients, we are losing sight of them,” Short said.

From Los Angeles Times

On one level, “Infested” is a well-worn, thoroughly efficient creature feature with sleek effects and pell-mell pacing.

From New York Times

He’s also assembled a pell-mell array of older painting and sculpture from Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.

From New York Times

The MFA show is too pell-mell in its second half to chart properly how Hokusai’s example took global flight in the 20th century.

From New York Times

There, things shift into hyper drive: pell-mell running, whooshing through twisty pneumatic tubes, leaping onto floating brick roads — Mario is barely given time to catch his breath.

From Seattle Times