mess

mess
I UK [mes] / US noun
Word forms "mess":
singular mess plural messes
**
1) [countable/uncountable] a situation in which a place is dirty or untidy

Your room is a mess; please pick up your toys.

"What a mess!" she said, looking at the kitchen.

make a mess:

Try not to make a mess because I've been cleaning.

in a mess:

His papers were in a terrible mess.

a) [countable] something that has been accidentally dropped or carelessly left, so that it makes a place look dirty

I cleaned up the mess with a napkin.

There was a sticky mess on the kitchen floor.

b) [singular] someone or something that looks dirty, untidy, or in bad condition

Look at you – you're a mess!

Mark's jeans were a mess by the time he finished painting.

2) [singular] a difficult situation with a lot of problems, especially because people have made mistakes

an economic mess

be in a mess:

The company was in a complete mess when she took over.

get into a mess:

I don't know how we got into this mess.

get someone into a mess:

You got me into this mess in the first place.

•

Cultural note:
The phrase another fine (or nice) mess you've gotten me into was often used by the US actor Oliver Hardy to his partner Stan Laurel in a series of comedy films they made together in the 1920s and 1930s. People sometimes use this phrase humorously when they are in a difficult situation, especially when they want to blame someone for it.
Collocations:
Adjectives frequently used with mess
▪  awful, complete, fine, real, right, sorry, terrible, total
3) [singular] informal someone who is so nervous or who has so many problems that they cannot have a normal life

I was a complete mess after the divorce.

4) [countable] a room where people have their meals in the armed forces
5) [countable/uncountable] solid waste from an animal
•

make a mess of (doing) something — to make a lot of mistakes when you are doing or dealing with something

Tom felt he had made a mess of his life.


II UK [mes] / US verb
Word forms "mess":
present tense I/you/we/they mess he/she/it messes present participle messing past tense messed past participle messed
*
Phrasal verbs:

English dictionary. 2014.

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Synonyms:
/ (who eat together), / , , , , , , , , , , , , / , , , , , (colloq.), ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • mess — mess …   Dictionnaire des rimes

  • mess — [ mɛs ] n. m. • 1831 n. f.; mot angl., du fr. mes, forme a. de mets ♦ Lieu où se réunissent les officiers ou les sous officiers d une même unité, pour prendre leur repas en commun. ⇒ cantine, popote. « Ici, on sable le champagne au mess des sous… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • MESS — Développeur Équipe MESS Dernière version 0.144 (15  …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Mess of Me — Single by Switchfoot from the album Hello Hurricane Released September 1, 2009 (Compa …   Wikipedia

  • MESS — Тип Эмулятор Разработчик MESS Team …   Википедия

  • mess — [mes] n. [ME messe < OFr mes < L missus, a course (at a meal), orig. pp. of mittere, to send, put: see MISSION] 1. a portion or quantity of food for a meal or dish 2. a portion of soft or semiliquid food, as porridge 3. unappetizing food;… …   English World dictionary

  • Mess — war ein österreichisches Musikduo der 1980er Jahre. Es bestand aus Elisabeth Engstler und Michael Scheickl (unter dem Künstlernamen Fritz), die auch verheiratet waren. Chartplatzierungen Erklärung der Daten Singles Sonntag AT: 1[1] – 15. April… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • mess — mess; mess·i·ly; mess·i·ness; mess·man; mess·tin; ker·mess; …   English syllables

  • Mess — (m[e^]s), n. [OE. mes, OF. mets, LL. missum, p. p. of mittere to put, place (e. g., on the table), L. mittere to send. See {Mission}, and cf. {Mass} religious service.] 1. A quantity of food set on a table at one time; provision of food for a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Mess — Mess, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Messed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Messing}.] To take meals with a mess; to belong to a mess; to eat (with others); as, I mess with the wardroom officers. Marryat. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Mess — Mess, v. t. 1. To supply with a mess. [1913 Webster] 2. To make a mess[5] of; to disorder or muddle; to muss; to jumble; to disturb; to mess up. [Webster 1913 Suppl.] It was n t right either to be messing another man s sleep. Scribner s Mag.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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