mess

[mes]

noun

1. a dirty, untidy, or disordered condition.

   The room was in a mess.

   Antonyms: order

2. a person or thing that is dirty, untidy, or disordered.

3. a state of embarrassing confusion.

   My affairs are in a mess.

   Synonyms: muddle, hodgepodge, farrago, confusion, disarray, disorder

4. an unpleasant or difficult situation.

   She got into a mess driving without a license.

   Synonyms: pickle, plight, predicament

5. a dirty or untidy mass, litter, or jumble.

   a mess of papers.

6. a group regularly taking their meals together.

7. the meal so taken.

8. mess hall.

9. Naval.,  messroom.

10. a quantity of food sufficient for a dish or a single occasion.

    to pick a mess of sweet corn for dinner.

11. a sloppy or unappetizing preparation of food.

12. a dish or quantity of soft or liquid food.

    to cook up a nice mess of pottage.

13. 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)

1. to make dirty or untidy (often followed byup ).

   Don't mess the room.

2. to make a mess or muddle of (affairs, responsibilities, etc.) (often followed byup ).

   They messed the deal.

   Synonyms: mix up, botch
   Antonyms: tidy, neaten, arrange

3. to supply with meals, as military personnel.

4. to treat roughly; beat up (usually followed byup ).

   The gang messed him up.

verb (used without object)

1. to eat in company, especially as a member of a mess.

2. to make a dirty or untidy mess.

verb phrase

1. mess up

   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.

2. mess around / about

   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.

3. mess in / with,  to intervene officiously; meddle.

   You'll get no thanks for messing in the affairs of others.

mess

/ mɛs /

noun

1. a state of confusion or untidiness, esp if dirty or unpleasant

   the house was in a mess

2. a chaotic or troublesome state of affairs; muddle

   his life was a mess

3. informal,  a dirty or untidy person or thing

4. archaic,  a portion of food, esp soft or semiliquid food

5. a place where service personnel eat or take recreation

   an officers' mess

6. a group of people, usually servicemen, who eat together

7. the meal so taken

8. a material gain involving the sacrifice of a higher value

verb

1. to muddle or dirty

2. (intr) to make a mess

3. to interfere; meddle

4. (intr; often foll by with or together) military to group together, esp for eating

Word 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”

Word 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

Idioms and Phrases

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

Example Sentences

For the government's number two to have messed up her tax affairs undermines faith in ministers' ability.

From BBC

The panel said Monguia also made improper remarks to prospective jurors including one woman whom he referred to as a “hot mess” after she disclosed her son’s criminal history during jury selection in September 2022.

From Los Angeles Times

This reshuffle amounts to the action of a prime minister confronted by an almighty mess - and hurriedly seeking to seize that moment for his own and his government's ends.

From BBC

She has described herself as "mouthy", someone who would "take no messing from management".

From BBC

“It’s a mess,” said Dr. Eric Ball, a pediatrician in Orange County.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• chaos 
• clutter 
• confusion 
• debris 
• disarray 
• jumble 
• mayhem 
• shambles 
• turmoil 
• wreck 
• wreckage