Tangly

tan·gle ¹  (tnggl)

v. tan·gled, tan·gling, tan·gles

v.tr.

1. To mix together or intertwine in a confused mass; snarl.

2. To involve in hampering or awkward complications; entangle.

3. To catch and hold in or as if in a net; entrap. See Synonyms at catch.

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.

2. A jumbled or confused state or condition.

3. A state of bewilderment.

4. 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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tangly adj.