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   muddle

   /ˈmʌdl/

   verb

   • 1. bring into a disordered or confusing state: "I fear he may have muddled the message" Similar confusemix upjumblejumble updisarrangedisorganizedisorderdisturbthrow into disorderget into a tanglescramblemess upOpposite be in (good) order
   • ▪ confuse (a person or their thoughts): "Paul was hopelessly muddled by the rates of exchange" Similar bewilderconfusebemuseperplexpuzzlebafflenonplusmystifyconfounddisorientatedisorientbefuddledazeaddleOpposite enlighten
   • ▪ busy oneself in an aimless or ineffective way: "he was muddling about in the kitchen"
   • 2. mix (a drink) or stir (an ingredient) into a drink: "muddle the kiwi slices with the sugar"

   noun

   • 1. an untidy and disorganized state or collection: "the finances were in a muddle"
   • ▪ a mistake arising from or resulting in confusion: "a bureaucratic muddle" Similar bunglemix-upmisunderstandingmistakeinformal:hashfoul-upscrew-upcar crashsnafuvulgar slang:fuck-upballs-up

   Word Origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘wallow in mud’): perhaps from Middle Dutch moddelen, frequentative of modden ‘dabble in mud’; compare with mud. The sense ‘confuse’ was initially associated with alcoholic drink (late 17th century), giving rise to ‘busy oneself in a confused way’ and ‘jumble up’ (mid 19th century).

   Derivatives

   • 1. muddly adjective

   Scrabble Points: 10

   • M

     3

   • U

     1

   • D

     2

   • D

     2

   • L

     1

   • E

     1

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