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ravel
[ rav-uhl ]
/ ˈræv əl /
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verb (used with object), rav·eled, rav·el·ing or (especially British) rav·elled, rav·el·ling.
verb (used without object), rav·eled, rav·el·ing or (especially British) rav·elled, rav·el·ling.
noun
a tangle or complication.
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Origin of ravel
First recorded in 1575–85, ravel is from the Dutch word rafelen
OTHER WORDS FROM ravel
rav·el·er; especially British, rav·el·ler, nounrav·el·ly, adjectiveWords nearby ravel
Other definitions for ravel (2 of 2)
Ravel
[ ruh-vel; French ra-vel ]
/ rəˈvɛl; French raˈvɛl /
noun
Mau·rice Jo·seph [moh-reeszhaw-zef], /moʊˈris ʒɔˈzɛf/, 1875–1937, French composer.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use ravel in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for ravel (1 of 2)
ravel
/ (ˈrævəl) /
verb -els, -elling or -elled or US -els, -eling or -eled
to tangle (threads, fibres, etc) or (of threads, fibres, etc) to become entangled
(often foll by out) to tease or draw out (the fibres of a fabric or garment) or (of a garment or fabric) to fray out in loose ends; unravel
(tr usually foll by out) to disentangle or resolveto ravel out a complicated story
to break up (a road surface) in patches or (of a road surface) to begin to break up; fret; scab
archaic to make or become confused or complicated
noun
a tangle or complication
Derived forms of ravel
raveller, nounravelly, adjectiveWord Origin for ravel
C16: from Middle Dutch ravelen
British Dictionary definitions for ravel (2 of 2)
Ravel
/ (French ravɛl) /
noun
Maurice (Joseph) (mɔris). 1875–1937, French composer, noted for his use of unresolved dissonances and mastery of tone colour. His works include Gaspard de la Nuit (1908) and Le Tombeau de Couperin (1917) for piano, Boléro (1928) for orchestra, and the ballet Daphnis et Chloé (1912)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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