MESS Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

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mess

[ mes ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a dirty, untidy, or disordered condition:
The room was in a mess.
Antonyms:
a person or thing that is dirty, untidy, or disordered.
a state of embarrassing confusion:
My affairs are in a mess.
Synonyms: , , , , ,
an unpleasant or difficult situation:
She got into a mess driving without a license.
Synonyms: , ,
a dirty or untidy mass, litter, or jumble:
a mess of papers.
a group regularly taking their meals together.
the meal so taken.
mess hall ( def ).
Naval. messroom ( def ).
a quantity of food sufficient for a dish or a single occasion:
to pick a mess of sweet corn for dinner.
a sloppy or unappetizing preparation of food.
a dish or quantity of soft or liquid food:
to cook up a nice mess of pottage.
a person whose life or affairs are in a state of confusion, especially a person with a confused or disorganized moral or psychological outlook.

verb (used with object)

to make dirty or untidy (often followed by up ):
Don't mess the room.
to make a mess or muddle of (affairs, responsibilities, etc.) (often followed by up ):
They messed the deal.
Synonyms: ,
Antonyms: , ,
to supply with meals, as military personnel.
to treat roughly; beat up (usually followed by up ):
The gang messed him up.

verb (used without object)

to eat in company, especially as a member of a mess.
to make a dirty or untidy mess.

verb phrase

1. to make dirty, untidy, or disordered.
2. to make muddled, confused, etc.; make a mess of; spoil; botch.
3. to perform poorly; bungle:
  She messed up on the final exam.
1. Informal. to busy oneself without purpose or plan; work aimlessly or halfheartedly; putter.
2. Informal. to waste time; loaf.
3. Informal. to meddle or interfere.
4. Informal. to involve or associate oneself, especially for immoral or unethical purposes:
  His wife accused him of messing around with gamblers.
5. Slang. to trifle sexually; philander.
to intervene officiously; meddle:
You'll get no thanks for messing in the affairs of others.

mess

/ ��ɛ�� /

noun

a state of confusion or untidiness, esp if dirty or unpleasant
the house was in a mess
a chaotic or troublesome state of affairs; muddle
his life was a mess
informal.
a dirty or untidy person or thing
archaic.
a portion of food, esp soft or semiliquid food
a place where service personnel eat or take recreation
an officers' mess
a group of people, usually servicemen, who eat together
the meal so taken
mess of pottage
a material gain involving the sacrifice of a higher value

verb

troften foll byup to muddle or dirty
intr to make a mess
introften foll bywith to interfere; meddle
intr; often foll by with or together military to group together, esp for eating

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of mess¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English mes, from Old French: “course at a meal,” from Late Latin missus “(something) sent” (i.e., put on the table), noun use of past participle of Latin mittere “to send”

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of mess¹

C13: from Old French mes dish of food, from Late Latin missus course (at table), from Latin mittere to send forth, set out

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Idioms and Phrases

get into trouble (a mess)
make a hash (mess) of

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

His legs are “still messed up” now, he told Bensinger, pulling up a pant leg to reveal a gnarly scarred calf.

From

They left a sticky mess over the airmen, their instruments and the cockpit's canopy.

From

If you keep messing with Social Security, Seal Beach Leisure World is coming for you.

From

"We kept having to clear up his mess."

From

He’s caught in the mess he’s made for himself, and it’s one so dire that it can’t be helped by any sniveling revelations about how his queerness has impacted his trip to Saint-Martial.

From

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

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