Sekirov Dictionary

muddle

UK /ˈmʌdl̩/US /ˈmʌd(ə)l/

verb 7
noun 4
forms 3
phrases 3

verb7

•
To mix together, to mix up; to confuse.
- Young children tend to muddle their words.
To think and act in a confused, aimless way.
•
To mash slightly for use in a cocktail.
- He muddled the mint sprigs in the bottom of the glass.
•
To make turbid or muddy.
- He did ill to Muddle the Water. — 1692
•
To waste or misuse, as one does who is stupid or intoxicated.
- They muddle it [money] away without method or object, and without having anything to show for it. — 1821
•
To cloud or stupefy; to render stupid with liquor; to intoxicate partially.
- Their old master Epicurus seems to have had his brains so muddled and confounded with them, that he scarce ever kept in the right way. — 1692
•
To dabble in mud.
- Young ducklings foster'd by a hen; But, when let out, they run and muddle — 1721

noun4

•
A mixture; a confusion; a garble.
- The muddle of nervous speech he uttered did not have much meaning.
A mixture of crushed ingredients, as prepared with a muddler.
•
(India, historical) A servant's attendant; underservant.
- We bought a few rugs and odds and ends and our sitting room looks quite European; then we have a bedroom with 2 beds and a dressing room, also a corridor for the muddles and servants. — 1985
(no longer used) A muddy mess.

forms

muddled · muddling · muddles

Phrases with muddle

This dictionary works without the internet: on your phone · in Chrome