tangle

tan·gle ¹

 (tăng′gəl)

v. tan·gled, tan·gling, tan·gles

v.tr.

1. To mix together or intertwine in a confused mass; snarl: The fishing lines from the two boats were tangled.

2. To catch or ensnare in an intertwined or confused mass: A turtle was tangled in the fishing net.

3. To involve in a complicated situation or in circumstances from which it is difficult to disengage: He got tangled up in a scheme to commit fraud.

v.intr.

1. To be or become entangled.

2. Informal To enter into argument, dispute, or conflict: tangled with the law.

n.

1. A confused, intertwined mass: a tangle of blood vessels.

2. A jumbled or confused state or condition: a tangle of conflicting reports.

3. Informal An argument or altercation.

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[Middle English tangilen, to involve in an embarrassing situation, variant of tagilen, probably of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialectal taggla, to entangle.]

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tan′gly adj.

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tan·gle ²

 (tăng′gəl)

n.

Any of several large edible seaweeds, especially a kelp.

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[Of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse thöngull, seaweed.]

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.

tangle

(ˈtæŋɡəl)

n

1. a confused or complicated mass of hairs, lines, fibres, etc, knotted or coiled together

2. a complicated problem, condition, or situation

vb

3. to become or cause to become twisted together in a confused mass

4. (often foll by: with) to come into conflict; contend: to tangle with the police.

5. (tr) to involve in matters which hinder or confuse: to tangle someone in a shady deal.

6. (tr) to ensnare or trap, as in a net

[C14 tangilen, variant of tagilen, probably of Scandinavian origin; related to Swedish dialect taggla to entangle]

ˈtanglement n

ˈtangler n

ˈtangly adj

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tangle

(ˈtæŋɡəl) or

tangleweed

n

(Plants) alternative names (esp Scot) for oarweed

[C16: of Scandinavian origin: compare Danish tang seaweed]

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

tan•gle¹

(ˈtæŋ gəl)

v. -gled, -gling,
n. v.t.

1. to bring together into a mass of confusedly interlaced or intertwisted strands; snarl.

2. to involve in something that hampers, obstructs, or overgrows.

3. to catch and hold in or as if in a net or snare.

v.i.

4. to be or become tangled.

5. to come into conflict; fight or argue.

n.

6. a tangled condition or situation.

7. a tangled mass; snarl.

8. a confused jumble; maze.

9. a conflict; disagreement.

[1300–50; Middle English ta(n)gilen to entangle]

tan′gle•ment, n.

tan′gler, n.

tan′gly, adv.

tan•gle²

(ˈtæŋ gəl)

n.

any of several large seaweeds of the genus Laminaria.

[1530–40; < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse thǫngull strand of tangle, Norwegian tang]

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

Tangle

 a knot of threads or other items in confused piles.

Examples: tangles of courts, 1861; of creepers, 1842; of facts and figures, 1883; of metaphysics, 1858; of low scrubby oaks, 1873; of serpent tresses, 1819; of words, 1866.

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

tangle

Past participle: tangled
Gerund: tangling

Imperative

tangle

tangle

Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	tangle - a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven; "they carved their way through the tangle of vines" natural object - an object occurring naturally; not made by man hair ball, hairball, trichobezoar - a compact mass of hair that forms in the alimentary canal (especially in the stomach of animals as a result of licking fur)
	2.	tangle - something jumbled or confused; "a tangle of government regulations" maze, snarl perplexity - trouble or confusion resulting from complexity
Verb	1.	tangle - force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of action; "They were swept up by the events"; "don't drag me into this business" drag in, embroil, sweep up, drag, sweep involve - engage as a participant; "Don't involve me in your family affairs!"
	2.	tangle - tangle or complicate; "a ravelled story" ravel, knot interlace, intertwine, lace, twine, enlace, entwine - spin,wind, or twist together; "intertwine the ribbons"; "Twine the threads into a rope"; "intertwined hearts"
	3.	tangle - disarrange or rumple; dishevel; "The strong wind tousled my hair" dishevel, tousle disarrange - destroy the arrangement or order of; "My son disarranged the papers on my desk"
	4.	tangle - twist together or entwine into a confusing mass; "The child entangled the cord" mat, entangle, snarl distort, twine, twist - form into a spiral shape; "The cord is all twisted" felt - mat together and make felt-like; "felt the wool" enmesh, ensnarl, mesh - entangle or catch in (or as if in) a mesh

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

tangle

noun

1. knot, mass, twist, web, jungle, mat, coil, snarl, mesh, ravel, entanglement a tangle of wires

2. mess, jam, fix (informal), confusion, complication, maze, mix-up, shambles, labyrinth, entanglement, imbroglio I was thinking what a tangle we had got ourselves into.

verb

1. twist, knot, mat, coil, snarl, mesh, entangle, interlock, kink, interweave, ravel, interlace, enmesh, intertwist a huge mass of hair, all tangled together
twist unravel, disentangle, untangle, free, extricate, straighten out

2. (sometimes with up) entangle, catch, ensnare, entrap Animals get tangled in fishing nets and drown.

3. confuse, mix up, muddle, jumble, scramble Themes get tangled in his elliptical storytelling.

tangle something or someone up (usually passive)

1. entangle, catch, trap, snare, ensnare Sheep keep getting tangled up in the wire.

2. mix up, involve, implicate, embroil, drag into, mire He tried to avoid getting tangled up in any awkward situations.

tangle with someone come into conflict with, come up against, cross swords with, dispute with, contend with, contest with, lock horns with They are not the first bank to tangle with the taxman recently.

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

tangle

verb

1. To twist together so that separation is difficult:

ensnarl, entangle, foul, snarl.

2. To make complex, intricate, or perplexing:

complicate, embarrass, entangle, involve, perplex, ravel, snarl.

3. To gain control of or an advantage over by or as if by trapping:

catch, enmesh, ensnare, ensnarl, entrap, snare, trammel, trap, web.

4. Informal. To engage in a quarrel:

argue, bicker, contend, dispute, fight, quarrel, quibble, spat, squabble, tiff, wrangle.

Informal: hassle.

Idioms: cross swords, have it out, have words, lock horns.

noun

1. Something that is intricately and often bewilderingly complex:

cat's cradle, entanglement, jungle, knot, labyrinth, maze, mesh (often used in plural), morass, skein, snarl, web.

2. Informal. A discussion, often heated, in which a difference of opinion is expressed:

altercation, argument, bicker, clash, contention, controversy, debate, difficulty, disagreement, dispute, fight, polemic, quarrel, run-in, spat, squabble, tiff, word (used in plural), wrangle.

Informal: hassle, rhubarb.

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

تَشابُك، تَعَقُّديَشْبِك

pocuchatspleťzamotatzměť

sammenfiltre

Gewirrverwirren

μπλέκω

enredarenredomarañacaosdesorden

emmêlerimbrogliochaosdésordreembrouiller

gubancösszegubancol

flækja

grovigliomettersi nei pasticcitutto sottosopraaggrovigliare

įsivelti į ginčą susuraizgytisusiraizgytisusivėlęssusivelti

ērkulisjuceklissamudžināt

floke tilsammenfiltret masse

путать

spleťzamotať

zamešatizaplestizmešnjava

arap saçına döndürmekarap saçına dönmüş şey

混乱状态纷乱缠结

tangle

[ˈtæŋgl]

A. N (in hair) → enredo m, maraña f; [of streets] → laberinto m (fig) (= muddle) → enredo m, lío m
a tangle of weeds → una maraña de malas hierbas
a tangle of wool → una maraña de lana
to be in a tangle [hair, thread] → estar enredado
the sheets were in a tangle → las sábanas estaban hechas una maraña
I'm in a tangle with the accounts → me he hecho un lío con las cuentas
to get into a tangle [hair, thread] → enredarse
I got into a tangle with the police → me metí en un lío con la policía

B. VT (also tangle up) → enredar, enmarañar

C. VI (also tangle up) → enredarse, enmarañarse
to tangle with sth/sb (fig) → meterse en algo/con algn

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

tangle

[ˈtæŋg^əl]

n

[wires, string, rope, hair, sheets, weeds, branches, undergrowth] → enchevêtrement m
a tangle of wires → un enchevêtrement de câbles
to be in a tangle [string, wires, hair] → être emmêlé(e)
to get in a tangle [string, wires, hair] → s'emmêler

(= confusion) → enchevêtrement m
to get o.s. in a tangle → être en pleine confusion
We had got ourselves in a tangle → Nous étions en pleine confusion.
to be in a tangle [person] → être en pleine confusion; [situation, financial affairs] → être un sac de nœuds
My tax affairs were in a complete tangle → Mes affaires fiscales étaient un véritable sac de nœuds.

vt [+ sheets, wires] → emmêler
to be tangled [wires, string, sheets, hair] → être emmêlé(e)
to get tangled [wires, string, sheets, hair] → s'emmêler
Animals get tangled in fishing nets and drown → Les animaux s'emmêlent dans les filets de pêche et se noient.

vi [hair] → s'emmêler; [string] → s'emmêler

tangle up

vt [+ sheets, wires, string] → s'emmêler
to be tangled up [wires, string, sheets] → être emmêlé(e)
to get tangled up [wires, string, sheets] → s'emmêler

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

tangle

n

(lit) → Gewirr nt; the string was in a tangle → die Schnur hatte sich verheddert; the tangles in her hair → ihr verheddertes Haar; to get into a tangle → sich verheddern

(fig: = muddle) → Wirrwarr m, → Durcheinander nt; to get into a tangle → sich verheddern; I’m in such a tangle with my tax forms → ich komme bei meinen Steuerformularen überhaupt nicht klar; she has got herself into an emotional tangle → sie hat sich gefühlsmäßig verstrickt

(fig: = trouble) → Ärger m, → Schwierigkeiten pl; she’s in a real tangle this time → diesmal hat sie sich aber böse hineingeritten; he got into a tangle with the police → er ist mit der Polizei aneinandergeraten, er hat Schwierigkeiten mit der Polizei gehabt

vt (lit, fig) → verwirren, durcheinanderbringen; wool, string also → verheddern; hair → durcheinanderbringen; to get tangled (lit, fig) → sich verheddern; (ropes) → sich verknoten; a tangled web → ein Gespinst nt

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

tangle

[ˈtæŋgl]

1. n (of wool, wire) → groviglio; (in hair) → nodo (fig) (muddle) → confusione f
to get into a tangle (gen) → aggrovigliarsi (hair) → arruffarsi (person) → combinare un pasticcio

2. vt (also tangle up) → aggrovigliare; (hair) → arruffare

3. vi → aggrovigliarsi; (hair) → ingarbugliarsi
to tangle with sb (fig) (fam) → azzuffarsi con qn

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

tangle

(ˈtӕŋgl) noun

an untidy, confused or knotted state. The child's hair was in a tangle. koek تَشابُك، تَعَقُّد бъркотия confusão spleť, změť das Gewirr sammenfiltret klump μπέρδεμαdesorden, maraña, enredo sasipundar آشفتگی؛ گوریدگی sotku désordre, masse enchevêtrée פקעת पुंज zamršenost, zapletenost gubanc kusut flækja groviglio arruffato もつれ 얽힌 상태 raizginys juceklis; ērkulis kusut verwarringfloke, sammenfiltret masseplątaninaconfusão dez­ordine; încâlcire спутанное состояние; сплетение spleť; chumáč zmešnjava zbrka trassel, oreda, virrvarr ความยุ่งเหยิง arap saçına dönmüş şey 紛亂, 混亂狀態 плутанина, безладдя الجھاؤ mớ lộn xộn 纷乱，混乱状态

verb

to make or become tangled. Don't tangle my wool when I'm knitting. koek يَشْبِك обърквам (се) emaranhar zamotat (se), pocuchat verwirren sammenfiltre μπερδεύω, μπερδεύομαιenredar, enmarañar sassi ajama گوریدن sotkeutua emmêler, embrouiller לְהִסתַבֵּך उलझाना zamrsiti, zapetljati összegubancol mengusutkan flækja aggrovigliare, ingarbugliare もつれさせる 엉키다 su(si)raizgyti, su(si)velti samudžināt mengusutkan verwarrenfloke til, vikle inn i plątać enrodilhar a (se) încâlci; a (se) încurca спутывать zamotať (sa) zameštrati zaplesti se trassla till [sig] ทำให้ยุ่งเหยิง arap saçına döndürmek 纏結 заплутувати الجھانا àm lộn xộn 缠结

ˈtangled adjective

in a tangle. tangled hair/branches; Her hair is always tangled. gekoek مَشْبوك، مُشْتَبِك заплетен emaranhado rozcuchaný, spletený verwirrt sammenfiltret μπερδεμένοςenredado, enmarañado, desordenado sassis گوریده؛ به هم ریخته sotkussa en désordre, enchevêtré לְסַבֵּך गुत्थी, उलझन, उलझेड़ा zamršen, zapleten gubancos kusut flæktur aggrovigliato, arruffato もつれた 뒤 얽힌 susivėlęs samudžināts; samudžinājies; savēlies kusut in de warfloket, sammenfiltret splątany emaranhado încâl­cit спутанный spletitý; zamotaný zameštran zamršen tilltrasslad, tovig, snårig ซึ่งพันกันยุ่ง dolanmış, dolaşmış, arap saçına dönmüş 紛亂的 сплутаний الجھا ہوا lộn xộn 纷乱的

tangle with

to become involved in a quarrel or struggle with (a person etc). I tangled with him over politics. argumenteer يَشْتَبِك في مَعْرَكَه заплитам се в brigar com utkat se sich verstricken in skændes τα βάζω με enzarzarse, enredarse en una discusión/riña ennast (millessegi) mässima درگیر شدن riidellä avoir une prise de bec avec לְהִסתַבֵּך से झगड़ा करना potući se lebonyolódik bertengkar kljást við litigare 口論する 말다툼 하다 įsivelti į ginčą su cīkstēties; strīdēties berkelahi dgn in conflict raken met komme i krangel med spierać się z brigar com a se lua la harţă cu цапаться stretnúť sa zaplesti se petljati se gräla (tampas) med พัวพันกับ tartışmak, dalaşmak 爭執 сваритися الجھنا، لڑائي کرنا tranh cãi 争执

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

tan·gle

n. enredo, confusión;

vr. enredarse; confundirse.

English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012