Printer Friendly
Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary
1,806,094,060 visitors served.
forum mailing list For webmasters
?
New: Language forums
Dictionary/
thesaurus
Medical
dictionary
Legal
dictionary
Financial
dictionary
Acronyms
 
Idioms
Encyclopedia
Wikipedia
encyclopedia
?

muddle
(redirected from muddle up)

   Also found in: Legal, Idioms, Encyclopedia 0.02 sec.
mud·dle  (mdl)
v. mud·dled, mud·dling, mud·dles
v.tr.
1. To make turbid or muddy.
2. To mix confusedly; jumble.
3. To confuse or befuddle (the mind), as with alcohol. See Synonyms at confuse.
4. To mismanage or bungle.
5. To stir or mix (a drink) gently.
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. Mental confusion.
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.]

muddler n.

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. (Miscellaneous Technologies / Brewing) US to mix or stir (alcoholic drinks, etc.)
n
a state of physical or mental confusion
[perhaps from Middle Dutch moddelen to make muddy]
muddled  adj
muddledness , muddlement n
muddling  adj & n
muddlingly  adv
muddly  adj

Muddle a confused collection; a confused assemblage. See also jumble, mess.
Examples: muddle of objects, 1865; of paint, 1891.
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.muddlemuddle - a confused multitude of things      
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"
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"
Verb1.muddle - make into a puddle; "puddled mire"
rile, roil - make turbid by stirring up the sediments of
2.muddle - mix up or confuse; "He muddled the issues"
mix up, jumble, confuse - assemble without order or sense; "She jumbles the words when she is supposed to write a sentence"

muddle
noun
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.
Translations
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 seatsha 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 muddlehay un verdadero lío con los preparativos
to get into a muddle [things] → desordenarse, revolverse; [person] → hacerse un lío
to get sth into a muddledesordenar 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 + ADVarreglárselas de alguna manera, ir tirando
muddle on VIhacer las cosas al tuntún
muddle through VI + ADVarreglárselas de alguna manera, ir tirando
I expect we shall muddle throughespero 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 upno hacía más que confundirme al hablar
the copies had got muddled up with the original documentslas copias se habían mezclado or confundido con los documentos originales
you're getting me muddled up with the other Julieme estás confundiendo con la otra Julie
see also muddle B2

muddle [ˈmʌdəl]
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
vialler son chemin tant bien que mal
muddle through
vise 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

muddle
nDurcheinander nt; to get in(to) a muddle (things) → durcheinandergeraten; (person) → konfus werden; to get oneself in(to) a muddle over somethingmit etw nicht klarkommen (inf); how did things get into such a muddle?wie ist denn dieses Durcheinander entstanden?; to be in a muddlevöllig durcheinander sein; this room is (in) a real muddlein diesem Zimmer herrscht ein einziges Durcheinander; her office was a muddle of files and papersin ihrem Büro lagen Akten und Papiere wild durcheinander; to make a muddle of somethingetw völlig durcheinanderbringen
vtdurcheinanderbringen; two things or people alsoverwechseln; (= make confused) personverwirren, durcheinanderbringen; you’re only muddling the issuedu machst die Sache nur verworrener

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 + advandare avanti a casaccio
muddle through vi + advcavarsela alla meno peggio

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 + advandare avanti a casaccio
muddle through vi + advcavarsela alla meno peggio

muddle
v muddle [ˈmadl]
to confuse or mix up Don't talk while I'm counting, or you'll muddle me. deurmekaar maak يُرْبِك، يُشَوِّش التَّفْكير обърквам splést; smíchat forvirre; forkludre durcheinanderbringen μπερδεύω confundir 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 brengen forvirre, forkludre poplątać baralhar a încurca сбивать с толку popliesť zmesti zbuniti förvirra, göra vimsig ทำให้ยุ่งเหยิง aklını karıştırmak 使混亂 плутати الٹ پلٹ کرنا làm lộn xộn 使
n
a state of confusion These papers keep getting in a muddle. deurmekaar إرْتِباك، تَشْويش объркване zmatek virvar das Durcheinander σύγχυση, ανακατωσούρα confusión segadus درهم وبرهم olla sikin sokin fouillis בָּלָגָן गड़बड़ nered, zbrka zűrzavar kebingungan ruglingur disordine 混乱 혼란 상태 sumaištis, jovalynė juceklis; nekārtība bercelaru warboel rot, kluss, forvirring bałagan confusão harababură, dezordine беспорядок zmätok zmešnjava zbunjenost röra, oreda, virrvarr ความวุ่นวาย karışıklık 混亂 плутанина خلط ملط tình trạng lộn xộn
adj muddled
muddled thinking. deurmekaar مُرْتَبِك، مُشَوَّش التَّفْكير объркан zmatený, popletený rodet verwirrt μπερδεμένος confundido 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 verward uklar, rotet, vrøvlet pokrętny, pogmatwany confuso confuz путаный popletený zmeden zbunjen rörig, oredig, virrig ซึ่งสับสนวุ่นวาย karışık 糊塗的 заплутаний بے ترتیبی rối rắm,
adj muddle-headed
incapable of clear thinking Men think that all women are muddle-headed. deurmekaar مُشَوَّش ، مُبَلْبَل замъглен zmatený ude af stand til at tænke selv wirrköpfig σε διανοητική σύγχυση despistado, confuso pudrupäine کودن epälooginen brouillon מְבוּלבָּל भ्रष्ट बुद्धि smušen zavaros fejű bodoh óskÿr í hugsun confusionario まぬけな 멍청한 nesugebantis aiškiai galvoti nesaprātīgs; dumjš tidak keruan warhoofdig forvrøvlet głupi, mający zamęt w głowie confuso aiurit бестолковый zmätený zmeden smeten virrig, oredig i huvudet โง่ zihni karışık 頭腦糊塗的 каша в голові حماقت đần độn
muddle along/through
to progress in spite of one's unsatisfactory methods and foolish mistakes. aansukkel يَتَقَدَّم بالرَّغْم من الأخطاء карам я някак си jakž takž pokračovat klare sig på bedste beskub sich durchwursteln πορεύομαι όπως όπως arreglárselas patuga pooleks edenema اشتباه کردن sinnitellä eteenpäin 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 , hangle igjennom radzić sobie jakoś 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 มั่ว bata çıka başarmak 得過且過 діяти навмання لشتم پشتم آگے بڑھنا liều lĩnh
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 plést si, poplést sammenblande verwechseln μπερδεύω liar, confundir segi ajama گيج کردن sekoittaa 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 verwarren forveksle, rote til poplątać, pomieszać confundir a confunda путать (po)pliesť si zamešati pobrkati förväxla สับสน karıştırmak 搞亂 переплутувати گڑمڑ کرنا nhầm lẫn

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


How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content.
?Page tools
Printer friendly
Cite / link
Email
Feedback
Add definition
? Mentioned in
 
Dictionary/thesaurus browser? ? Full browser
 
 
Dictionary, Thesaurus, and Translations
?

Disclaimer | Privacy policy | Feedback | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc.
All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional. Terms of Use.