Definition of Mess up

1. Verb. Make a mess of, destroy or ruin. "The pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement"


2. Verb. Disturb the smoothness of. "Ruffle the surface of the water"
Exact synonyms: Ruffle, Ruffle Up, Rumple
Generic synonyms: Disarrange

3. Verb. Make a mess of or create disorder in. "He messed up his room"
Exact synonyms: Mess
Generic synonyms: Disarray, Disorder
Derivative terms: Mess

Definition of Mess up

1. Verb. (transitive) To make a mess of; to untidy, disorder, soil, or muss. ¹

2. Verb. (transitive) To cause a problem with; to introduce an error or mistake in; to make muddled or confused; spoil; ruin. ¹

3. Verb. (transitive) To botch, bungle; to perform poorly on. ¹

4. Verb. (intransitive) To make a mistake; to do something incorrectly; to perform poorly. ¹

5. Verb. (transitive) To cause (another person) to make unwanted mistakes in a given task, usually through distraction or obnoxious behavior. ¹

6. Verb. (transitive) To damage; injure. ¹

7. Verb. (transitive slang) To manhandle; beat up; rough up. ¹

8. Verb. (transitive slang) To discombobulate, utterly confuse, or confound psychologically; to throw into a state of mental disarray. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Lexicographical Neighbors of Mess Up

mesquites
mesquits
mess-up
mess about
mess dress
mess hall
mess halls
mess jacket
mess jackets
mess kit
mess kits
mess of pottage
mess tent
mess up
mess with
message
message board
message boards
message broker
message coupling
message couplings
message pad
message stick
message sticks
messageboard
messageboards
messaged

Literary usage of Mess up

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Choice Words: How Our Language Affects Children's Learningby Peter H. Johnston by Peter H. Johnston (2004)
"But I mess up a lot because when you mess up, you learn from your mistakes." Asked whether there are different readers in her class, ..."

2. Hacking College by Dean Kohrs (2006)
"This won't really mess up your college career, so it doesn't get a number, but it will mess up the dog. And there is a special place in hell for people who ..."

3. Words, Words, Words: Teaching Vocabulary in Grades 4-12 by Janet Allen (1999)
"For example, when I look the word mess up in the o dictionary, one definition is "disorderly mass." Yet when I was con- ^ ducting a workshop in North ..."

4. The Cruise of Her Majesty's Ship "Bacchante", 1879-1882 by Albert Victor, George (1886)
"11.0 ,, mess up spirits ; dismiss drills (that have been going on since 9.30). 11.30 ,, Watch clear up decks. 11.45 „ "Cooks. ..."

5. Sunset by Southern Pacific Company, Southern Pacific Company. Passenger Dept (1910)
"... like some gals mess up their fronts with, nothin' but a stem o' yeller bugle flowers stuck over one of her little white ears. ..."

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