Mess | Mean of mess in English Dictionary

/ˈmɛs/

• Noun
• a very dirty or untidy state or condition
1. We found the papers in a mess.
2. It took years to clean up the mess caused by the oil spill.
3. She's the only cook in the family who never makes a mess of/in the kitchen.
• something or someone that looks very dirty or untidy
1. The apartment was a mess when he left it. = He left the apartment a mess.
2. He was a mess after gardening all day.
3. My hair is a mess.
• a situation that is very complicated or difficult to deal with
1. I don't know how the economy got to be (in) such a mess.
2. Well, that's another fine mess you've gotten me into!
3. How do we get ourselves into these messes?

• something that is not organized well or working correctly
1. The school system is a mess.
2. Things were a real mess for a while after she retired.
3. My life is a complete mess.
• someone who is very unhappy, confused, etc.
1. She was a real mess for a while after her divorce.
• someone who is showing a lot of emotion especially by crying
1. He was a mess during his daughter's wedding ceremony.
• the place where people in the military eat
1. the officers' mess
• a large amount of something
1. a mess of cash
2. a mess of cabbage/greens/peas
3. They're in a mess of trouble. [=a lot of trouble]
• solid waste from an animal
1. The puppy made a mess on the rug.
2. cleaning up dog mess
• to ruin (something) or to make many mistakes in doing (something)
1. The scandal made a mess of his political career.
2. The weather made a mess of our plans.
3. He made a mess of his speech.
• Verb
• to spend time doing things that are not useful or serious
1. We just messed around [=fooled around] all afternoon.
2. She spent the evening messing around on the computer.
3. It's time we stopped messing around and got busy.
• to have sex with someone who is not your husband, wife, or regular partner
1. His wife discovered that he was messing around [=fooling around] (on her).
2. His wife discovered that he was messing around with his secretary.
• to cause problems or trouble for (someone) especially by making changes that are not expected
1. I don't like being messed about this way!
• to use or do (something) in a way that is not very serious
1. I'm not really a painter; I just like to mess around with paints.
2. She spent the evening messing around with [=fooling around with] the computer.
• to handle or play with (something) in a careless or foolish way
1. Stop messing around [=fiddling around] with the stereo.
• to make a mistake
1. About halfway into the recipe, I realized that I had messed up, and I had to start over.
2. She's afraid she'll mess up on the test.
3. I messed up on my first attempt.
• to make mistakes when you are doing or making (something)
1. He messed up the speech.
2. I messed up my first attempt and had to try again.
• to make (something) dirty or untidy
1. Don't mess up my room.
2. The wind messed up her hair. = Her hair got messed up in the wind.
• to damage or ruin (something)
1. She's really messed up her life.
2. His life has been messed up by his drug addiction.
3. I don't know what I did, but I somehow messed up the computer.
4. My watch has been messed up [=has not worked properly] ever since I dropped it in the sink.
5. The mountains messed up the cell phone signal.
• to beat and injure (someone)
1. He got messed up [=roughed up, beaten up] by a gang of bullies.
2. They messed him up pretty badly.
• to make (someone) very upset and unhappy
1. Breaking up with her boyfriend has really messed her up.
2. She's been pretty messed up ever since she broke up with her boyfriend.
• to cause trouble for (someone)
1. I wouldn't want to mess with him.
2. You'd better not be messing with me.
• to deal with or be involved with (something that causes or that could cause trouble)
1. The company doesn't want to mess with small distributors.
2. He doesn't want to mess with cocaine anymore.
• to handle or play with (something) in a careless way
1. Don't mess with the camera.