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mess
This word carries a strong sense of chaos and lack of control. It suggests a physical or emotional tangle that is frustrating to unravel. While a room can be messy, a life or a legal case can be a mess, implying a failure of organization or morality.
In casual speech, it often functions as a mild condemnation. Calling someone a mess suggests they are emotionally unstable or physically disheveled, shifting the focus from the environment to the person's internal state.
Countable when referring to a specific instance of disorder or a military dining hall. Uncountable when referring to the general state of dirtiness or chaos.
Meanings
Examples
What a mess!
Phrasal Verbs
mess up
to make a mistake or handle a situation poorly
I really messed up the presentation by forgetting my notes.
mess around
to behave in a silly or aimless way
Stop messing around and get your homework finished.
mess with
to interfere with or provoke someone or something
I wouldn't mess with that electrical wiring if I were you.
mess about
to spend time doing nothing productive
They spent the whole afternoon messing about in the garden.