mess

Everyday

1. A mess is a place or things that are untidy or dirty, like a messy bedroom. tree →
2. A mess is also a bad or confusing situation with problems. tree →
3. To mess something up means to make it untidy or to spoil it or get it wrong. tree →
4. To mess about or mess around means to play or behave in a silly way instead of working. tree →
5. To mess with something means to touch or change it when you should not. tree →
6. A mess is also a room where soldiers or sailors eat, and an animal's droppings can be called mess. tree →

In the lessons

Everyday life: tidying up a mess, cleaning up a spill, «Who made this mess?». In class: «stop messing about», «I messed up my sum, so I'll start again» — mistakes are normal and can be fixed. Safety: «Don't mess with matches, plugs or medicines». Phrases: «make a mess», «clean up the mess», «in a mess», «what a mess», «mess up», «mess about/around», «mess with».

Examples

• Your bedroom is a mess! tree →
• Who made this mess on the kitchen floor? tree →
• I spilt paint and made a big mess. tree →
• Please clean up your mess before lunch. tree →
• I messed up the first question, so I rubbed it out. tree →
• Stop messing about and finish your work. tree →
• Don't mess with the oven knobs. tree →
• The game was a mess after it started to rain. tree →
• The puppy left a mess on the carpet. tree →
• "Woe is me," thinks the Pope; "here's a mess!" tree →

Note

As untidiness it can be countable («a mess») or uncountable («some mess»). Adjective: «messy». «Mess up» is informal; in polite writing use «spoil» or «get wrong». «Messing about» (UK) = «messing around» (US). A mistake is not the end; you can fix a mess.

In Jewish tradition

King David sends food to Uriah in the story of Bathsheba, hoping he will go home to his wife.

Interpretation. Tradition reads the gift as part of David's plan to hide his sin. Uriah refuses to go home and so the plan fails.

Examples

• And David said to Uriah: 'Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet.' And Uriah departed out of the king's house, and there followed him a mess of food from the king. (Prophets 2SA.11.8, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

As untidiness it can be countable («a mess») or uncountable («some mess»). Adjective: «messy». «Mess up» is informal; in polite writing use «spoil» or «get wrong». «Messing about» (UK) = «messing around» (US). A mistake is not the end; you can fix a mess.