ravel

[ rav-uh l ]

/ ˈræv əl /

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.

Nearby words

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

Examples from the Web for ravelled

When I pulled it out and wound it round the distaff, it looked like ravelled silk, it was so smooth and fine.
Helen and Arthur|Caroline Lee Hentz
Stars began to struggle through and confuse their rays with the ravelled edges of the clouds.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 16, No. 96, October 1865|Various
She was cloaked by a skein of ravelled fluff beneath us and we caught the chant before she rose into the sunlight.
With The Night Mail|Rudyard Kipling
When it was ravelled out a little, the printed warp could be seen.
Clothing and Health|Helen Kinne

By his side nestled a tiny dog, with satin ears and paws fringed as with ravelled silk.
Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1902 to 1903|Lucy Maud Montgomery

British Dictionary definitions for ravelled

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 Formsraveller, nounravelly, adjective

Word Origin for ravel

C16: from Middle Dutch ravelen

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

Word Origin and History for ravelled

ravel

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

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

ravel

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

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of ravel

Examples from the Web for ravelled

ravel

verb -els, -elling or -elled or US -els, -eling or -eled

noun

Word Origin for ravel

Ravel

noun

ravel

ravel