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1. Dictionary

   mess

   /mɛs/

   noun

   • 1. a dirty or untidy state of things or of a place: "she made a mess of the kitchen" Similar untidinessdisorderdisarrayclutterheapshambleslittertanglejumblemuddlemishmashchaosconfusiondisorganizationturmoilinformal:muckfrightsightdog's dinner/breakfasttip
   • ▪ a thing or collection of things causing a dirty or untidy state: "she replaced the jug and mopped up the mess"
   • ▪ a person who is dirty or untidy: "I look a mess"
   • ▪ used euphemistically to refer to the excrement of a domestic animal: "dog mess" Similar excrementdungmuckfaecesexcretadirt
   • 2. a situation that is confused and full of problems: "the economy is still in a terrible mess" Similar plightpredicamentemergencytight spottight cornerdifficultystraitstroublequandarydilemmaproblemmuddlemix-upconfusioncomplicationimbroglioentanglementmireinformal:jamfixpicklestewhot waterholepretty/fine kettle of fishscrapemuddlebotchbunglewreckinformal:hashmuckfoul-upscrew-upcock-upshamblesomnishamblescar crashsnafuvulgar slang:fuck-upballs-up
   • ▪ a person whose life is confused and full of problems: "he needs treatment of some kind—he's a real mess"
   • 3. a portion of semi-liquid food: "a mess of mashed black beans and rice"
   • 4. a building or room providing meals and recreational facilities for members of the armed forces: "the sergeants' mess"
   • 5. a large amount or quantity of: informal North American "big-time outfits that do a mess of printing"

   verb

   • 1. make untidy or dirty: "she scratched her head, messing her hair still further"
   • ▪ (of a domestic animal) defecate: "they had some problems with dogs messing in the store"
   • ▪ make dirty by defecating: "he feared he would mess the bed"
   • 2. have one's meals with a particular person, especially as a member of an armed forces' mess: "I messed at first with Harry, who became a lifelong friend"

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French mes ‘portion of food’, from late Latin missum ‘something put on the table’, past participle of mittere ‘send, put’. The original sense was ‘a serving of (semi-liquid) food’, later ‘liquid food for an animal’; this gave rise (early 19th century) to the senses ‘unappetizing concoction’ and ‘predicament’, on which sense 1 is based. In late Middle English the term also denoted any of the small groups into which the company at a banquet was divided (who were served from the same dishes); hence, ‘a group who regularly eat together’ (recorded in military use from the mid 16th century).

   Scrabble Points: 6

   • M

     3

   • E

     1

   • S

     1

   • S

     1

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