messnoun
uk/mes/us/mes/mess noun (DIRT/UNTIDINESS)
B1 [ S or U ] Something or someone that is a mess, or is in a mess, looks dirty or untidy:
[ C ] an animal's solid waste:
More examples
- I hope something good can come out of this mess.
- I made a complete and utter mess of it!
- My Dad gets cross (with me) if I leave the kitchen in a mess.
- I wish you'd do something about your bedroom - it's a real mess.
- I gave Jim very clear instructions, but even then he managed to make a mess of it.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Dirt & untidiness
- a dog's breakfast idiom
- bloodstain
- blot
- clutter
- contaminant
- contaminate
- defile
- filthiness
- fleck
- grime
- gunge
- gunk
- muck
- pollutant
- slob
- slovenly
- slut
- smear
- smudge
- speck
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mess noun (PROBLEMS)
B2 [ S ] a situation that is full of problems:
[ S ] a person whose life is full of problems they cannot deal with:
to do something badly or spoil something:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Difficult situations and unpleasant experiences
- a (heavy) cross to bear idiom
- a cloud on the horizon idiom
- a fate worse than death idiom
- a hard/tough row to hoe idiom
- a narrow squeak idiom
- bind
- crunch
- curse
- eventuality
- fate
- feeding frenzy
- genie
- going
- have a bumpy ride idiom
- rum
- schtuck
- shtook
- stalemate
- standoff
- vortex
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mess noun (ROOM)
[ C ] US also mess hall a room or building in which members of the armed forces have their meals or spend their free time:
[ C ] Indian English a large public room where people have their meals
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Parts of buildings: rooms
- antechamber
- anteroom
- atelier
- atrium
- attic
- ballroom
- conservatory
- double room
- en suite
- eyrie
- family room
- form room
- front room
- gymnasium
- parlour
- reading room
- reception room
- refectory
- room
- snug
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messverb
uk/mes/us/mes/[ T ] mainly US UK mess up informal to make something untidy:
[ I ] to leave solid waste somewhere:
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Making things dirty & untidy
- blacken
- clutter
- contaminate
- defile
- dirty
- disarrange
- foul
- mired
- mix
- mix sth up
- muddle
- muddle sth up
- muddy
- muss
- pollute
- polluter
- soil
- stain
- tarnish
- the polluter pays principle idiom
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