jumble

Everyday

1. An untidy mix of things in no order. tree →
2. (verb) To mix things up so they are out of order. tree →
3. (UK) Old things given to be sold cheaply, as at a jumble sale. tree →
4. A word puzzle where the letters are mixed up (a word jumble). tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life: a jumble of toys, shoes and socks under the bed. At school: a word jumble or sentence jumble to put back in order. In the UK, a jumble sale raises money for a school or church. Phrases: jumble sale, jumbled up, a jumble of.

Examples

• My drawer is a jumble of pencils and string. tree →
• Someone jumbled up the puzzle pieces. tree →
• Unjumble these letters: T-A-C. tree →
• We sold old toys at the school jumble sale (UK). tree →
• The story got jumbled when he told it fast. tree →
• Put the jumbled sentences in the right order. tree →
• There was a jumble of shoes by the door. tree →

Note

Noun is countable (a jumble of things). Verb: jumbled, jumbling. "Jumble sale" is British; in the USA and Canada people say "rummage sale" or "yard sale". A word jumble is a kind of anagram.