mess
A thing or group of things in a disagreeable, disorganised, or dirty state; hence a bad situation.
Noun 4 meanings
A thing or group of things in a disagreeable, disorganised, or dirty state; hence a bad situation.
“He made a mess of it.”
A large quantity or number.
“My boss dumped a whole mess of projects on my desk today.”
Excrement.
“There was dog mess all along the street.”
A person in a state of (especially emotional) turmoil or disarray; an emotional wreck.
“Between the pain and the depression, I'm a mess.”
Verb 4 meanings
To make untidy or dirty.
To throw into disorder or to ruin.
To interfere.
“This doesn't concern you. Don't mess.”
To take meals with a mess.
Etymology
Perhaps a corruption of Middle English mesh (“mash”), compare muss, or derived from Etymology 2 "mixed foods, as for animals". Compare also Old English mes (“dung, excrement”).
Similar and opposite words
MESS at a glance
MESS has 4 letters and scores 6 points in Scrabble (M 3 + E 1 + S 1 + S 1) and 7 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #2,573 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with mess
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