messes
|mes/ses|
/mɛs/
(mess)
disorder
Etymology
'mess' originates from Old French 'mes' meaning 'a portion (of food), a meal'.
'mess' passed into Middle English as 'messe' or 'mes' (c. 13th c.) with senses related to a portion of food and a communal meal; later senses extended to the group who eat together and to disorderly conditions.
Initially, it meant 'a portion of food' or 'a meal'; over time it broadened to include 'a group who eat together', 'a place where they eat (military dining)', and metaphorically 'a state of disorder' or 'a troublesome situation'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural of 'mess': an untidy or dirty condition; things scattered about in disorder.
The children left several messes around the house.
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Noun 2
plural of 'mess': a situation involving difficulty, trouble, or confusion.
The company has faced financial messes in the past.
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Noun 3
plural of 'mess': dining facilities or groups of people who eat together, especially in the military (mess hall; the members of a mess).
The ship's messes serve three meals a day.
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Verb 1
third-person singular present of 'mess': to make untidy or dirty; to spoil the neatness or order of something.
She messes up her desk every week.
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Last updated: 2025/12/25 04:33