muddle

mud·dle

 (mŭd′l)

v. mud·dled, mud·dling, mud·dles

v.tr.

1.

a. To mix together, especially confusedly: The various flavors are muddled in this recipe.

b. To mix (a drink or the ingredients of a drink), especially with a muddler.

2.

a. To put into a state of confusion; confuse: Emotional rhetoric will only muddle the debate on the issue.

b. To confuse or befuddle (a person or the mind, for example). See Synonyms at befuddle.

3. To mismanage or bungle: muddle a task.

4. To make turbid or muddy.

v.intr.

To think, act, or proceed in a confused or aimless manner: muddled along through my high-school years.

n.

1. A disordered condition; a mess or jumble.

2. A state of mental confusion.

3. See muddler.

Phrasal Verb:

muddle through

To push on to a favorable outcome in a disorganized way.

---

[Possibly from obsolete Dutch moddelen, to make water muddy, from Middle Dutch, frequentative of *modden, to make muddy, from modde, mud.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

muddle

(ˈmʌdəl)

vb (tr)

1. (often foll by up) to mix up (objects, items, etc); jumble

2. to confuse

3. to make (water) muddy or turbulent

4. (Brewing) US to mix or stir (alcoholic drinks, etc)

n

a state of physical or mental confusion

[C16: perhaps from Middle Dutch moddelen to make muddy]

ˈmuddled adj

ˈmuddledness, ˈmuddlement n

ˈmuddling adj, n

ˈmuddlingly adv

ˈmuddly adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

mud•dle

(ˈmʌd l)

v. -dled, -dling,
n. v.t.

1. to mix up in a confused or bungling manner.

2. to cause to become mentally confused.

3. to cause to become confused or stupid with or as if with liquor.

4. to make muddy or turbid, as water.

5. to mix or stir (a drink).

v.i.

6. to think or act in a confused or aimless fashion: muddling along, waiting for a big break.

7. muddle through, to make progress or reach a goal despite lack of knowledge, skill, or direction.

n.

8. the state of being muddled, esp. a confused mental state.

9. a confused or disordered state of affairs; mess.

[1540–50; mud + -le]

mud′dler, n.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

muddle

- To muddle a lemon is to lightly mash slices to release the essential oils.

See also related terms for lemon.

Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

Muddle

 a confused collection; a confused assemblage. See also jumble, mess.

Examples: muddle of objects, 1865; of paint, 1891.

Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

muddle

Past participle: muddled
Gerund: muddling

Imperative

muddle

muddle

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	muddle - a confused multitude of things   clutter, fuddle, jumble, mare's nest, smother, welter disorderliness, disorder - a condition in which things are not in their expected places; "the files are in complete disorder" rummage - a jumble of things to be given away
	2.	muddle - informal terms for a difficult situation; "he got into a terrible fix"; "he made a muddle of his marriage" fix, kettle of fish, mess, pickle, jam, hole difficulty - a condition or state of affairs almost beyond one's ability to deal with and requiring great effort to bear or overcome; "grappling with financial difficulties" dog's breakfast, dog's dinner - a poor job; a mess; "they made a real dog's breakfast of that job"
Verb	1.	muddle - make into a puddle; "puddled mire" puddle rile, roil - make turbid by stirring up the sediments of
	2.	muddle - mix up or confuse; "He muddled the issues" addle, puddle mix up, jumble, confuse - assemble without order or sense; "She jumbles the words when she is supposed to write a sentence"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

muddle

noun

1. confusion, mess, disorder, chaos, plight, tangle, mix-up, clutter, disarray, daze, predicament, jumble, ravel, perplexity, disorganization, hotchpotch, hodgepodge (U.S.), pig's breakfast (informal), fankle (Scot.) My thoughts are all in a muddle.

verb

1. jumble, confuse, disorder, scramble, tangle, mix up, make a mess of Already some people have begun to muddle the two names.

2. confuse, bewilder, daze, confound, perplex, disorient, stupefy, befuddle She felt muddled, and a wave of dizziness swept over her.

muddle along or through scrape by, make it, manage, cope, get along, get by (informal), manage somehow We will muddle through and just play it day by day.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

muddle

verb

1. To put out of proper order:

derange, disarrange, disarray, disorder, disorganize, disrupt, disturb, jumble, mess up, mix up, tumble, unsettle, upset.

2. To put into total disorder:

ball up, confuse, disorder, jumble, mess up, scramble, snarl.

Slang: snafu.

Idiom: play havoc with.

3. To cause to be unclear in mind or intent:

addle, befuddle, bewilder, confound, confuse, discombobulate, dizzy, fuddle, jumble, mix up, mystify, perplex, puzzle.

Informal: throw.

Idiom: make one's head reel.

4. To harm irreparably through inept handling; make a mess:

ball up, blunder, boggle, botch, bungle, foul up, fumble, gum up, mess up, mishandle, mismanage, muff, spoil.

Informal: bollix up, muck up.

Slang: blow, goof up, louse up, screw up, snafu.

Idiom: make a muck of.

5. To proceed or perform in an unsteady, faltering manner:

blunder, bumble, bungle, flounder, fudge, fumble, limp, shuffle, stagger, stumble.

phrasal verb
muddle through

To progress or perform adequately, especially in difficult circumstances:

do, fare, fend, get along, get by, manage, shift.

Informal: make out.

Idioms: make do, make shift.

noun

1. A lack of order or regular arrangement:

chaos, clutter, confusedness, confusion, derangement, disarrangement, disarray, disorder, disorderedness, disorderliness, disorganization, jumble, mess, mix-up, muss, scramble, topsy-turviness, tumble.

Slang: snafu.

2. A ruinous state of disorder:

botch, foul-up, mess, shambles.

Informal: hash.

Slang: screwup, snafu.

3. A stunned or bewildered condition:

befuddlement, bewilderedness, bewilderment, daze, discombobulation, fog, mystification, perplexity, puzzlement, stupefaction, stupor, trance.

The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Translations

إرْتِباك، تَشْويشتَشَوُّشٌيُرْبِك، يُشَوِّش التَّفْكير

nepořádeksmíchatspléstzmatek

virvarforkludreforvirre

DurcheinanderdurcheinanderbringenKuddelmuddelSchlamassel

ανακατωσούρα

enredo

sotku

embrouillaminiembrouillerfouillispagaille

zbrka

ruglaruglingur

disordinefar confusioneconfondereconfusionecreare disordine fra

混乱状態

뒤죽박죽

jauktijovalynėnesugebantis aiškiai galvotipo truputį stumtissujauktas

juceklisnekārtībasajauktsaputrot

verwarring

klussrot

zamieszanie

desordem

путаница

neredzmešatizmešnjavazmesti

röra

ความไม่เป็นระเบียบ

aklını karıştırmakkargaşakarışıklık

tình trạng lộn xộn

使混乱使糊涂困惑混乱

muddle

[ˈmʌdl]

A. N (untidy) → desorden m, lío m; (= tricky situation) → lío m, follón m (Sp) ; (= mix-up) → confusión f
what a muddle! (looking at mess) → ¡qué desorden!, ¡qué lío!; (situation) → ¡qué lío!, ¡qué follón! (Sp)
there's been a muddle over the seats → ha habido una confusión con las localidades
to be in a muddle [room, books] → estar en desorden, estar revuelto, estar hecho un desbarajuste; [person] → estar confuso, estar hecho un lío
the arrangements are all in a muddle → hay un verdadero lío con los preparativos
to get into a muddle [things] → desordenarse, revolverse; [person] → hacerse un lío
to get sth into a muddle → desordenar algo, revolver algo

B. VT (also muddle up)

1. (= jumble) [+ photos, papers] → revolver, desordenar
you've muddled (up) all my papers! → ¡has revuelto or desordenado todos mis papeles!
she'd got all the papers muddled (up) → había revuelto todos los papeles
to get muddled (up) [things] → desordenarse, revolverse

2. (= confuse) [+ person, details] → confundir
to get muddled (up) [person] → confundirse, hacerse un lío, liarse
see also muddle up

muddle along VI + ADV → arreglárselas de alguna manera, ir tirando

muddle on VI → hacer las cosas al tuntún

muddle through VI + ADV → arreglárselas de alguna manera, ir tirando
I expect we shall muddle through → espero que lo logremos de algún modo u otro

muddle up VT + ADV

1. (= jumble)
see muddle B1

2. (= confuse) I kept getting my words muddled up → no hacía más que confundirme al hablar
the copies had got muddled up with the original documents → las copias se habían mezclado or confundido con los documentos originales
you're getting me muddled up with the other Julie → me estás confundiendo con la otra Julie
see also muddle B2

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

muddle

[ˈmʌd^əl]

n

(= confused situation) → pagaille f
The whole thing is a muddle → C'est la pagaille la plus complète.
No one could sort out the muddle of her finances → Personne ne parvenait à éclaircir ses finances, c'était la pagaille.
a financial muddle → un imbroglio financier
to be in a muddle [person] → ne plus savoir où l'on en est
I'm in a muddle about the dates → Je ne sais plus où j'en suis avec les dates.
to be in a muddle about how ... → ne plus savoir comment ...
Most of us are in a muddle about what and how to eat → La plupart d'entre nous ne savent plus que manger ni comment manger.
to get in a muddle [person] (= get confused) → s'embrouiller
to get in a muddle about sth → s'embrouiller dans qch

(= disorder) → désordre m, fouillis m
to be in a muddle [things] → être en désordre
The photos are in a muddle → Les photos sont en désordre.
My notes have got in a muddle → Mes notes sont en désordre.

vt

(= confuse) → brouiller, embrouiller

muddle along

vi → aller son chemin tant bien que mal

muddle through

vi → se débrouiller

muddle up

vt sep

(= get into a mess) [+ things] → mettre en désordre

(= confuse) [+ names, people] → confondre
to muddle up sb with sb → confondre qn avec qn
He muddles me up with my sister → Il me confond avec ma sœur.
to get muddled up → s'embrouiller
I'm getting muddled up → Je m'embrouille.
to muddle up sth with sth → confondre qch avec qch

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

muddle

n → Durcheinander nt; to get in(to) a muddle (things) → durcheinandergeraten; (person) → konfus werden; to get oneself in(to) a muddle over something → mit etw nicht klarkommen (inf); how did things get into such a muddle? → wie ist denn dieses Durcheinander entstanden?; to be in a muddle → völlig durcheinander sein; this room is (in) a real muddle → in diesem Zimmer herrscht ein einziges Durcheinander; her office was a muddle of files and papers → in ihrem Büro lagen Akten und Papiere wild durcheinander; to make a muddle of something → etw völlig durcheinanderbringen

vt → durcheinanderbringen; two things or people also → verwechseln; (= make confused) person → verwirren, durcheinanderbringen; you’re only muddling the issue → du machst die Sache nur verworrener

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

muddle

[ˈmʌdl]

1. n (perplexity) → confusione f; (disorder) → disordine m
to be in a muddle (room, books) → essere in disordine (person) → essere molto confuso/a, non riuscire a raccapezzarsi (plan, arrangements) → essere per aria
to get into a muddle (person, while explaining) → imbrogliarsi, fare confusione (things) → finire sottosopra
there's been a muddle over the seats → è successo un pasticcio con i posti

2. vt (also muddle up)

a. (papers) → mettere sottosopra
you've muddled up A and B → hai confuso A con B

b. (person, story, details) → confondere

muddle along muddle on vi + adv → andare avanti a casaccio

muddle through vi + adv → cavarsela alla meno peggio

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

muddle

(ˈmadl) verb

to confuse or mix up. Don't talk while I'm counting, or you'll muddle me. deurmekaar maak يُرْبِك، يُشَوِّش التَّفْكير обърквам confundir splést; smíchat durcheinanderbringen forvirre; forkludre μπερδεύωconfundir segama گيج کردن sekoittaa embrouiller לְבַלבֵּל घबराहट mutiti megzavar, összezavar membingungkan rugla confondere 混乱させる 뒤죽박죽으로 만들다 (su)painioti, (su)jaukti sajaukt; saputrot mencampuradukkan in de war brengenforvirre, forkludrepoplątać ګنګس کول baralhar a încurca сбивать с толку popliesť zmesti zbuniti förvirra, göra vimsig ทำให้ยุ่งเหยิง aklını karıştırmak 弄糊塗，弄亂 плутати الٹ پلٹ کرنا làm lộn xộn 使糊涂，使混乱

noun

a state of confusion. These papers keep getting in a muddle. deurmekaar إرْتِباك، تَشْويش объркване confusão zmatek das Durcheinander virvar σύγχυση, ανακατωσούραconfusión segadus درهم وبرهم epäjärjestys fouillisבלגן गड़बड़ nered, zbrka zűrzavar kebingungan ruglingur disordine 混乱 혼란 상태 sumaištis, jovalynė juceklis; nekārtība bercelaru warboelrot, kluss, forvirringbałagan ګډوډ confusão harababură, dezordine беспорядок zmätok zmešnjava zbunjenost röra, oreda, virrvarr ความวุ่นวาย karışıklık 混亂 плутанина خلط ملط tình trạng lộn xộn 混乱

ˈmuddled adjective

muddled thinking. deurmekaar مُرْتَبِك، مُشَوَّش التَّفْكير объркан confuso zmatený, popletený verwirrt rodet μπερδεμένοςconfundido segane درهم و برهم sekava embrouillé מְבוּלבָּל उलझी हुई zbunjen zavaros kacau ruglaður confuso, disordinato 混乱した 혼란스러운 sujauktas, painus sajaukts; juceklīgs bercampur aduk verwarduklar, rotet, vrøvlet pokrętny, pogmatwany ګډوډ confuso confuz путаный popletený zmeden zbunjen rörig, oredig, virrig ซึ่งสับสนวุ่นวาย karışık 糊里糊塗的 заплутаний بے ترتیبی rối rắm 糊涂的

ˈmuddle-headed adjective

incapable of clear thinking. Men think that all women are muddle-headed. deurmekaar مُشَوَّش ، مُبَلْبَل замъглен confuso zmatený wirrköpfig ude af stand til at tænke selv σε διανοητική σύγχυση despistado, confuso pudrupäine کودن sekopäinen brouillon מְבוּלבָּל भ्रष्ट बुद्धि smušen zavaros fejű bodoh óskÿr í hugsun confusionario まぬけな 멍청한 nesugebantis aiškiai galvoti nesaprātīgs; dumjš tidak keruan warhoofdigforvrøvletgłupi, mający zamęt w głowie بیاکل confuso aiurit бестолковый zmätený zmeden smeten virrig, oredig i huvudet โง่ zihni karışık 糊里糊塗的 каша в голові حماقت đần độn 头脑糊涂的

muddle along/through

to progress in spite of one's unsatisfactory methods and foolish mistakes. aansukkel يَتَقَدَّم بالرَّغْم من الأخطاء карам я някак си progredir jakž takž pokračovat sich durchwursteln klare sig på bedste beskub πορεύομαι όπως όπως arreglárselas patuga pooleks edenema اشتباه کردن selviytyä jotenkuten se débrouiller tant bien que mal לְפָלֵס בּקוֹשִי דֶרֶך घबराहट में शुरू करना uspjeti se provući eldöcög vhogyan maju terus komast áfram þrátt fyrir klúður (andare avanti in qualche modo) なんとか切抜ける 그럭저럭 해 나가다 po truputį stumtis, kapanotis kulties uz priekšu; izkulties tidak keruan zich ergens doorheen slaan humpe og gå, hangle igjennom radzić sobie jakoś تیروتل progredir a se descurca de bine de rău кое-как довести дело до конца zmätene pokračovať nekako se preriti raditi bez plana hanka sig fram, trassla sig igenom ฝ่าอุปสรรคอย่างผิด ๆ พลาด ๆ bata çıka başarmak 得過且過 діяти навмання لشتم پشتم آگے بڑھنا liều lĩnh 得过且过

muddle up

to confuse (eg two different things). I'm always muddling the twins up; I've muddled up these book orders. verwar يُشَوِّش ، يُعَقِّد المَسْألَه бъркам confundir plést si, poplést verwechseln sammenblande μπερδεύωliar, confundir segi ajama گيج کردن sekoittaa keskenään confondre לְבַלבֵּל בֵּין उलझा हुआ pobrkati összekever, -zavar mengacaukan rugla saman confondere ごっちゃにする 혼란시키다 (su)maišyti, (su)painioti sajaukt; saputrot terkeliru verwarrenforveksle, rote tilpoplątać, pomieszać ګنګس کول confundir a confunda путать (po)pliesť si zamešati pobrkati förväxla สับสน karıştırmak 搞混 переплутувати گڑمڑ کرنا nhầm lẫn 搞乱

Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

muddle

→ تَشَوُّشٌ nepořádek virvar Durcheinander ανακατωσούρα enredo sotku pagaille zbrka disordine 混乱状態 뒤죽박죽 verwarring rot zamieszanie desordem путаница röra ความไม่เป็นระเบียบ kargaşa tình trạng lộn xộn 困惑

Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009