a dirty, untidy, or disordered condition: The room was in a mess.
a person or thing that is dirty, untidy, or disordered.
a state of embarrassing confusion: My affairs are in a mess.
an unpleasant or difficult situation: She got into a mess driving without a license.
a dirty or untidy mass, litter, or jumble: a mess of papers.
a group regularly taking their meals together.
the meal so taken.
mess hall.
Naval. messroom.
a quantity of food sufficient for a dish or a single occasion: to pick a mess of sweet corn for dinner.
a sloppy or unappetizing preparation of food.
a dish or quantity of soft or liquid food: to cook up a nice mess of pottage.
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)
to make dirty or untidy (often followed by up): Don't mess the room.
to make a mess or muddle of (affairs, responsibilities, etc.) (often followed by up): They messed the deal.
to supply with meals, as military personnel.
to treat roughly; beat up (usually followed by up): The gang messed him up.
verb (used without object)
to eat in company, especially as a member of a mess.
to make a dirty or untidy mess.
Verb Phrases
mess around / about
Informal.to busy oneself without purpose or plan; work aimlessly or halfheartedly; putter.
Informal.to waste time; loaf.
Informal.to meddle or interfere.
Informal.to involve or associate oneself, especially for immoral or unethical purposes: His wife accused him of messing around with gamblers.
Slang.to trifle sexually; philander.
mess in / withto intervene officiously; meddle: You'll get no thanks for messing in the affairs of others.
mess up,
to make dirty, untidy, or disordered.
to make muddled, confused, etc.; make a mess of; spoil; botch.
to perform poorly; bungle: She messed up on the final exam.
Origin of mess
1250–1300; Middle English mes<Old French: a course at a meal <Late Latin missus what is sent (i.e., put on the table), noun use of past participle of Latin mittere to send
The upcoming US presidential election seems set to be something of a mess—to put it lightly.
Microsoft’s New Deepfake Detector Puts Reality to the Test|Vanessa Bates Ramirez|September 4, 2020|Singularity Hub
Cleanup also has to be simple, because when your vehicle is full, even small greasy messes can create big problems.
5 Portable Grills for All Your Outdoor Cooking Needs|Amy Marturana Winderl|September 2, 2020|Outside Online
“I just thought it was extremely odd to, say the least – just a way to mess with the homeless and those that need the discount,” Sheetz said.
MTS Frequently Overrules Doctors’ Orders on Reduced Fares for the Disabled|Lisa Halverstadt|August 31, 2020|Voice of San Diego
Work and life were colliding in ways that it was impossible to stay organized and looking at the mess while I was watching TV on the couch was making me more stressed out.
The best things I bought in August|Rachel Schallom|August 30, 2020|Fortune
Make the easy into a festering mess of sweat and cursing and they’ll mosey along.
The most secure ways to lock up your bike|By Michael Frank/Cycle Volta|August 26, 2020|Popular Science
Texas has always had a sense of place—that is why we are told not to mess with it.
Will Texas Stay Texan?|David Fontana|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
It was being the riskiest studio in Hollywood that got Sony into this mess in the first place.
Sony: Hollywood’s Most Subversive Studio Under Attack|Marlow Stern|December 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In fact, that candy store is heavy industry, with all the mess that entails.
New York’s Conservative Fracking Ban|Jay Michaelson|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“The idea was to mess with the concept of Christmas,” recalled John Law, an original Cacophony member.
Before the Bros, SantaCon Was as an Anti-Corporate Protest|David Freedlander|December 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“Every time you see me, you want to mess with me,” Garner exclaimed, short of breath.
Before Eric Garner, There Was Michael Stewart: The Tragic Story of the Real-Life Radio Raheem|Marlow Stern|December 4, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We had put our trust in these west winds; if they failed us we should be in a mess.
The South Pole, Volumes 1 and 2|Roald Amundsen
The president of the mess, supposing him to be ill, sent to make inquiries.
Domestic folk-lore|T. F. Thiselton-Dyer
Then we told him if he had joined our mess and let us sleep with him he would have had a share in the chicken pot.
The Southern Soldier Boy|James Carson Elliott
Tents, mess kits, some food and a few blankets were all that were left in the nearby camp.
Grace Harlowe's Overland Riders Among the Kentucky Mountaineers|Jessie Graham Flower
He was in a regiment, and the mess would persist in calling him Jack, for short.
The Sign of the Spider|Bertram Mitford
British Dictionary definitions for mess
mess
/ (mɛs) /
noun
a state of confusion or untidiness, esp if dirty or unpleasantthe house was in a mess
a chaotic or troublesome state of affairs; muddlehis life was a mess
informala dirty or untidy person or thing
archaica portion of food, esp soft or semiliquid food
a place where service personnel eat or take recreationan officers' mess
a group of people, usually servicemen, who eat together
the meal so taken
mess of pottagea material gain involving the sacrifice of a higher value
verb
(tr often foll by up) to muddle or dirty
(intr)to make a mess
(intr often foll by with) to interfere; meddle
(intr; often foll by with or together)militaryto group together, esp for eating
Word Origin for mess
C13: from Old French mes dish of food, from Late Latin missus course (at table), from Latin mittere to send forth, set out