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definitions

raveling

[rav-uh-ling]
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noun

something raveled out, as a thread drawn or separated from a knitted or woven fabric.
Also especially British, rav·el·ling.

Origin of raveling

First recorded in 1650–60; ravel + -ing1

ravel

[rav-uh l]

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.

Origin of ravel

First recorded in 1575–85, ravel is from the Dutch word rafelen
Related formsrav·el·er; especially British, rav·el·ler, nounrav·el·ly, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for raveling

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

Examples from the Web for raveling

Historical Examples of raveling

  • My temper's fairly long-suffering, but 'twas raveling some by this time.

    Cape Cod Stories

    Joseph C. Lincoln

  • These are the two who walked that afternoon towards Raveling.

    Parkhurst Boys

    Talbot Baines Reed

  • We are going to bind the edge to prevent it from raveling and to make it strong.

  • We have learned that our dish towels had to be hemmed because of the raveling of material.

  • By raveling off about four inches from each leg he got enough cotton thread to patch the other two wicks with.

British Dictionary definitions for raveling

ravel

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 Formsraveller, nounravelly, adjective

Word Origin for ravel

C16: from Middle Dutch ravelen

Ravel

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
Word Origin and History for raveling

ravel

v.

1580s, "to untangle, disentangle, unwind" (originally with out), also "to entangle, become tangled or confused," from Dutch ravelen "to tangle, fray," rafelen "to unweave," from rafel "frayed thread." The seemingly contradictory senses of this word (ravel and unravel are both synonyms and antonyms) are reconciled by its roots in weaving and sewing: as threads become unwoven, they get tangled.

ravel

n.

1630s, "a tangle;" 1832, "a broken thread," from ravel (v.).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper