ravel

[ rav-uhl ]

/ ˈræv əl /

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See synonyms for ravel on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), rav·eled, rav·el·ing or (especially British) rav·elled, rav·el·ling.

to disentangle or unravel the threads or fibers of (a woven or knitted fabric, rope, etc.).

to tangle or entangle.

to involve; confuse; perplex.

to make clear; unravel (often followed by out).

verb (used without object), rav·eled, rav·el·ing or (especially British) rav·elled, rav·el·ling.

to become disjoined thread by thread or fiber by fiber; fray.

to become tangled.

to become confused or perplexed.

(of a road surface) to lose aggregate.

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, adjective

Words nearby ravel

ravage, Ravana, RAVC, rave, rave hook, ravel, ravelin, raveling, ravelment, raven, ravening

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

Ravel and Schons also told VOSD that the formal agreement between Hughes and the city’s landlord seems to bolster the conflict-of-interest allegations.
What We Learned This Year: 101 Ash May Have Been a Crime and the City Kind of Hopes It Was|Lisa Halverstadt|December 23, 2021|Voice of San Diego
Ravel said Hughes’ agreement to help cover costs should the deal go south were particularly troubling.
Broker In Two City Real Estate Deals Had Undisclosed Contracts With City Landlord|Lisa Halverstadt|September 15, 2021|Voice of San Diego
“I just don’t think you can say that there’s a clear legal standard here,” Ravel said.
Civic Center Plaza Lenders Argue What They Didn’t Know Can’t Hurt Them|Lisa Halverstadt|August 19, 2021|Voice of San Diego
So I started off with two influences: Ravel, directly, and also Bill Evans.
Herbie Hancock Holds Forth|David Yaffe|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST

I associate Ravel with your music from the beginning of your career.
Herbie Hancock Holds Forth|David Yaffe|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was obvious to me that Bill Evans was influenced by Ravel, too.
Herbie Hancock Holds Forth|David Yaffe|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At most, the piece underlines a common notion of Ravel as predicting later, more strenuously modern music.
Maurice Ravel, Brilliantly Un-Raveled|Blake Gopnik|June 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
What you hear could be Ravel reworking his own thoughts on music, if he'd lived into the 1960s.
Maurice Ravel, Brilliantly Un-Raveled|Blake Gopnik|June 4, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Andrew Harben began to wonder where it would end and what he would do when he had no more pants to ravel.
Where the Pavement Ends|John Russell
No, that's true; for you shall have one woman knit more in an hour, than any man can ravel again in seven-and-twenty years.
A Select Collection of Old English Plays, Volume 10 (of 15)|Various
Mark all notches with basting thread, tailor's chalk, or notch the goods if it does not ravel.
Textiles and Clothing|Kate Heintz Watson
The marking thread should be through every stitch so that they cannot ravel.
Needlework Economies|Various
They ravel more, still less resolved: they become more confused, and ever less disentangled.
An Introduction to the Prose and Poetical Works of John Milton|Hiram Corson

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, adjective

Word 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 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

ravel

Origin of ravel

OTHER WORDS FROM ravel

Words nearby ravel

Other definitions for ravel (2 of 2)

Words related to ravel

How to use ravel in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for ravel (1 of 2)

Derived forms of ravel

Word Origin for ravel

British Dictionary definitions for ravel (2 of 2)