| Library / English Dictionary |
MESS UP
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (verb)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Make a mess of or create disorder in
Example:
He messed up his room
Synonyms:
mess; mess up
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Hypernyms (to "mess up" is one way to...):
disarray; disorder (bring disorder to)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Sense 2
Meaning:
Disturb the smoothness of
Example:
ruffle the surface of the water
Synonyms:
mess up; ruffle; ruffle up; rumple
Classified under:
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging
Hypernyms (to "mess up" is one way to...):
disarrange (destroy the arrangement or order of)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Sense 3
Meaning:
Make a mess of, destroy or ruin
Example:
the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement
Synonyms:
ball up; blow; bobble; bodge; bollix; bollix up; bollocks; bollocks up; botch; botch up; bumble; bungle; flub; fluff; foul up; fuck up; fumble; louse up; mess up; mishandle; muck up; muff; screw up; spoil
Classified under:
Verbs of political and social activities and events
Hypernyms (to "mess up" is one way to...):
fail; go wrong; miscarry (be unsuccessful)
Sentence frames:
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Derivation:
mess-up (something badly botched or muddled)
