ravel

[ rav-uhl ]
/ ˈræv əl /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR ravel ON THESAURUS.COM

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, adjective

Words nearby ravel

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

Definition for ravel (2 of 2)

Ravel
[ ruh-vel; French ra-vel ]
/ rəˈvɛl; French raˈvɛl /

noun

Mau·rice Jo·seph [moh-rees zhaw-zef], /moʊˈris ʒɔˈzɛf/, 1875–1937, French composer.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to ravel

unwind, loosen, disentangle, free, untangle, unravel, untwist, unweave, untwine, unsnarl, unbraid, smooth out

Example sentences from the Web for ravel

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