Perhaps a corruption of Middle English mesh (“mash”), compare muss, or derived from Etymology 2 "mixed foods, as for animals". Compare also Old English mes (“dung, excrement”).
Meanings
(countable, uncountable) A thing or group of things in a disagreeable, disorganised, or dirty state; hence a bad situation.
No, look, I know that the place looks like a bit of a mess but it's actually a very delicate ecosystem. Everything is connected. It's like the rainforest. You change one thing, even the tiniest bit, and the whooole rainforest dies. You don't want the rainforest to die, do ya? 2006 Feb. 3, Graham Linehan, The IT Crowd, Season 1, Episode 4
My bedroom is such a mess; I need to tidy up.
He made a mess of it.
(colloquial, countable, uncountable) A large quantity or number.
She brought back a mess of fish to fix for supper.
Messerschmidts! A whole mess of Messerschmidts! 1943 November 20, Daffy the Commando, spoken by Daffy Duck:
My boss dumped a whole mess of projects on my desk today.
(countable, euphemistic, uncountable) Excrement.
Did you hear that? It scared the mess out of me.
There was dog mess all along the street.
(countable, figuratively, uncountable) A person in a state of (especially emotional) turmoil or disarray; an emotional wreck.
He's been a mess and a half ever since you excommunicated him.
Between the pain and the depression, I'm a mess.
I'm a mess in a dress, can't show up on time even if it would save my life. According to you. 2009, Andrew Frampton, Steve Diamond, “According to You”, in Believe, performed by Orianthi:
gl desmancho (confusion of things) · pl bardach (confusion of things) · hy խառնաշփոթ (confusion of things) · fr chienlit (confusion of things) · ru раскарда́ш (confusion of things) · es desbarate (confusion of things) · gl desfeita (confusion of things) · es fregado (confusion of things) · gl andrómena (confusion of things) · ja 混乱 (confusion of things) · es putiferio (confusion of things) · cy annibendod (confusion of things) · fr désordre (confusion of things) · es merequetengue (confusion of things) · ru каварда́к (confusion of things) · cmn 混亂 /混乱 (confusion of things) · es belén (confusion of things) · acw لَخْبَطَة (confusion of things) · sh nȅrēd (confusion of things) · pdt Krom (confusion of things) · it percorso ad ostacoli (confusion of things) · es desbarato (confusion of things) · fi sotku (confusion of things) · he ברדק (confusion of things) · to moveuveu (confusion of things) · ca garbuix (confusion of things) · es quilombo (confusion of things) · it macello (confusion of things) · ru пу́таница (confusion of things) · uk бе́злад (confusion of things) · ca embolic (confusion of things) · mi tīrangorango (confusion of things) · es follón (confusion of things) · af gemors (confusion of things) · ar اِرْتِبَاك (confusion of things) · es cristo (confusion of things) · lt netvarka (confusion of things) · es samplegorio (confusion of things) · it casino (confusion of things) · fr bourbier (confusion of things) · it confusione (confusion of things) · th ความสับสน (confusion of things) · eo tohuvabohuo (confusion of things) · ru барда́к (confusion of things) · de (totales) Chaos (confusion of things) · hu zűrzavar (confusion of things) · it sconquasso (confusion of things) · km សង្ករ (confusion of things) · bg безре́дие (confusion of things) · bg бъркоти́я (confusion of things) · ka უსიამოვნება (confusion of things) · sk bordel (confusion of things) · gl desorde (confusion of things) · ko 엉망 (confusion of things) · gl barallada (confusion of things) · be бязла́дздзе (confusion of things) · es embrollo (confusion of things) · es leonera (confusion of things) · ota قارش (confusion of things) · uk плутани́на (confusion of things) · ru срач (confusion of things) · cs nepořádek (confusion of things) · sh не̏ре̄д (confusion of things) · he אנדרלמוסיה (confusion of things) · sv röra (confusion of things) · he אי־סדר (confusion of things) · es pollo (confusion of things) · de Mist (bauen) (confusion of things) · es embolado (confusion of things) · br tiala (confusion of things) · mi kūnakunaku (confusion of things) · af deurmekaarspul (confusion of things) · ar اِخْتِلَاط (confusion of things) · fr gâchis (confusion of things) · sl zmeda (confusion of things) · sl zmešnjava (confusion of things) · fr chenis (confusion of things) · ru кутерьма́ (confusion of things) · da rod (confusion of things) · ar فَوْضَى (confusion of things) · pl nieład (confusion of things) · ca desgavell (confusion of things) · fr foutoir (confusion of things) · pl burdel (confusion of things) · acw كَرْكَبة (confusion of things) · ru ме́сиво (confusion of things) · uk розгардія́ш (confusion of things) · be беспара́дак (confusion of things) · ru неразбери́ха (confusion of things) · mi tīwekaweka (confusion of things) · be не́лад (confusion of things) · be барда́к (confusion of things) · ro haos (confusion of things) · gl marfallada (confusion of things) · be разгардзія́ш (confusion of things) · uk безла́ддя (confusion of things) · hu összevisszaság (confusion of things) · es cahuín (confusion of things) · es cisco (confusion of things) · es desbaratamiento (confusion of things) · he חוסר סדר (confusion of things) · ru беспоря́док (confusion of things) · nl zootje (confusion of things) · pt bagunça (confusion of things) · sk neporiadok (confusion of things) · sl nered (confusion of things) · hy անկարգություն (confusion of things) · eo kaĉo (confusion of things) · acw خَرْبَطة (confusion of things) · hu felfordulás (confusion of things) · he בוקה ומבולקה (confusion of things) · es desmadre (confusion of things) · uk безпоря́док (confusion of things) · gl roldán (confusion of things) · gl turullada (confusion of things) · no røre (confusion of things) · mi pōwhiwhi (confusion of things) · pl bardak (confusion of things) · pl nieporządek (confusion of things) · ka უწესრიგობა (confusion of things) · mk безредие (confusion of things) · ko 혼란 (confusion of things) · de Schweinerei (confusion of things) · es barullo (confusion of things) · he בלגן (confusion of things) · ota تشوش (confusion of things) · de Unordnung (confusion of things) · pl barłóg (confusion of things) · de Saustall (confusion of things) · bg безпоря́дък (confusion of things) · gl enviza (confusion of things) · ga praiseach (confusion of things) · ar اِضْطِرَاب (confusion of things) · es enredo (confusion of things) · eu anabasa (confusion of things) · nl puinhoop (confusion of things) · hu rendetlenség (confusion of things) · it rovina (confusion of things) · fr bordel (confusion of things) · cmn 雜亂 /杂乱 (confusion of things) · de Durcheinander (confusion of things) · fr bazar (confusion of things) · es lío (confusion of things) · es desbarajuste (confusion of things) · tr teşevvüş (confusion of things) · gl liorna (confusion of things) · uk барда́к (confusion of things) · mk неред (confusion of things) · sco pran (confusion of things) · fr fouillis (confusion of things) · be гармі́дар (confusion of things) · pl bałagan (confusion of things)
Perhaps a corruption of Middle English mesh (“mash”), compare muss, or derived from Etymology 2 "mixed foods, as for animals". Compare also Old English mes (“dung, excrement”).
Meanings
(often, transitive, with "up") To make untidy or dirty. ▸ To make soiled by defecating.
It seems like all you do is cry, eat, and mess your diapers! 2000 March 12, Tom Armstrong, Marvin (comic):
(often, transitive, with "up") To make untidy or dirty. ▸ To make soiled by ejaculating.
(often, transitive, with "up") To throw into disorder or to ruin.
Charles Dickens, quoted in: 1875, John Forster, The Life of Charles Dickens
Yet I was not sorry that the creature found the loophole for escape. The officers had taken him illegally without any warrant; and really they messed it all through, quite facetiously.
But it wasn't right to be messing another man's sleep with tidal waves that didn't belong to the other man. 1905, Arthur Colton, The Belted Seas, page 76:
(intransitive) To interfere.
This doesn't concern you. Don't mess.
Forms
Spelling
Features
Labels
Source
messing
Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
messes
Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres
lexicographic
messed
Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part
lexicographic
messed
Tense=Past
lexicographic
Deriveds
messy (terms derived from "mess" (etymology 1)) · mess with (terms derived from "mess" (etymology 1)) · mess over (terms derived from "mess" (etymology 1)) · in a mess (terms derived from "mess" (etymology 1)) · unmess (terms derived from "mess" (etymology 1)) · mess-up (terms derived from "mess" (etymology 1)) · don't mess with success (terms derived from "mess" (etymology 1)) · mess around (terms derived from "mess" (etymology 1)) · hot mess (terms derived from "mess" (etymology 1)) · mess of greens (terms derived from "mess" (etymology 1)) · mess up (terms derived from "mess" (etymology 1)) · mess with the bull and you get the horns (terms derived from "mess" (etymology 1)) · messer (terms derived from "mess" (etymology 1)) · mess about (terms derived from "mess" (etymology 1))
Translations (6)
gl foder (screw around) · sv jävlas (screw around) · bg будалкам се (screw around) · da fucke (screw around) · sk buzerovať (screw around) · sv djävlas (screw around)
From Middle English mes, partly from Old English mēse, mēose (“table”), a vernacular loan from Latin/Late Latin mē(n)sa (“table; meal”); and partly from Old French mes, Late Latin missum, from mittō (“to put, place (e.g. on the table)”). See mission, and compare Mass (“religious service”).
Meanings
(obsolete) Mass; a church service.
(archaic) A quantity of food set on a table at one time; provision of food for a person or party for one meal; also, the food given to an animal at one time.
[Curry] consists of meat, fish, fruit, or vegetables, cooked with a quantity of bruised spices and turmeric […]; and a little of this gives a flavour to a large mess of rice. 1903, Henry Yule, Arthur Burnell, Hobson-Jobson:
c. 1555, Hugh Latimer, letter to one in prison for the profession of the Gospel
a mess of pottage
They neither ate flesh nor fish, but lived on milk diet, made up into messes with saffron. 1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume II, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 191:
At their savoury dinner set / Of herbs and other country messes. a. 1645, John Milton, “L’Allegro”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC:
(collective) A number of persons who eat together, and for whom food is prepared in common, especially military personnel who eat at the same table.
the wardroom mess
But that our Feaſts / In euery Meſſe, haue folly; and the Feeders / Digeſt with a Cuſtome, c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iv], page 291:
A building or room in which mess is eaten.
The police mess had formerly been a maternity home for the wives of the Sultans of the state. Faded and tatty, peeling, floorboards eaten and unpolished, its philoprogenitive glory was a memory only. 1956, Anthony Burgess, Time for a Tiger (The Malayan Trilogy), published 1972, page 20:
(India) a type of restaurant characterized by homely-style cooking and food.
A set of four (from the old practice of dividing companies into sets of four at dinner).
(US) The milk given by a cow at one milking.
(collective) A group of iguanas.
Love how green iguanas look like dinosaurs. Saw a 'mess' of iguanas on Little Conch Key in the Florida Keys. So cool! 2026 June 13, nictatinglens, Threads:
But as NPR reported in 2018, one man got an even greater surprise after he'd picked up a mess of iguanas and loaded them into his car. 2024 February 14, Vanessa Romo, “Brumation and torpor: How animals survive cold snaps by playing dead-ish”, in Wyoming Public Media:
A Florida high school swimming pool has been shut down indefinitely after a mess of iguanas has claimed it for themselves. 2024 December 31, Service Industry News:
A dessert of fruit and cream, similar to a fool.
Similar desserts [to Eton Mess] include Lancing Mess (made with bananas), served at Lancing College in Sussex, and Clare College Mush[…] 2015, Darra Goldstein, Sidney Mintz, Michael Krondl, Laura Mason, The Oxford Companion to Sugar and Sweets, Oxford University Press, USA, →ISBN, page 243:
Eton is renowned for its "messes," and "strawberry mess" is Empress of them all, with raspberry mess as a very good second. It does not at all convey the joys of a "mess" to say that it consists of iced fruit and cream, and somewhat resembles a "fool." It is a thing apart, and should be approached with bated breath and unimpaired capacity. 1913, Pearson's Magazine, volume 36, part 2, page 373:
Eton mess, for example, which is another name for strawberry fool, links the name of a famous public school with disorder or the army slang for a meal, [...] One friend remembered a banana mess of mashed banana with two scoops of ice cream and loads of cream, and thought the strawberry version something that might be served at the 4th June College picnic, [...] 2014, Lindsey Bareham, Just One Pot:
"I'll stand you both strawberry mess." It was perfectly impossible for David not to feel elated at sitting down to strawberry-mess with two members of the eleven, in the full light of day, and in sight of the school generally […] 1916, Edward Frederic Benson, David Blaize, page 284:
One Old Etonian rages that at school the dessert was simply called 'strawberry mess' and was very popular in the tuck shop. It is only outside Eton that the school's name has been added. A similar 'banana mess' is credited to School in Sussex, […] 2020, Nigel Napier-Andrews, Gentleman's Portion: The Cookbook:
From Middle English mes, partly from Old English mēse, mēose (“table”), a vernacular loan from Latin/Late Latin mē(n)sa (“table; meal”); and partly from Old French mes, Late Latin missum, from mittō (“to put, place (e.g. on the table)”). See mission, and compare Mass (“religious service”).
Meanings
(intransitive) To take meals with a mess.
(intransitive) To belong to a mess.
(intransitive) To eat (with others).
I mess with the wardroom officers.
Resolved 18. That no Guide or Interpreter whether at the Factory Depot or Inland be permitted to mess with Commissioned Gentlemen or Clerks in charge of Posts; but while at the Depot they will be allowed per Week 4 days ordinary rations... 1836, George Simpson & al., HBC Standing Rules and Regulations, §18