muddle

muddle
muddledness, muddlement, n.muddlingly, adv.
/mud"l/, v., muddled, muddling, n.
v.t.
1. to mix up in a confused or bungling manner; jumble.
2. to cause to become mentally confused.
3. to cause to become confused or stupid with or as if with an intoxicating drink.
4. to make muddy or turbid, as water.
5. to mix or stir (a cocktail, chocolate, etc.).
6. Ceram. to smooth (clay) by rubbing it on glass.
v.i.
7. to behave, proceed, or think in a confused or aimless fashion or with an air of improvisation: Some people just muddle along, waiting for their big break.
8. muddle through, to achieve a certain degree of success but without much skill, polish, experience, or direction: None of us knew much about staging a variety show, so we just had to muddle through.
n.
9. the state or condition of being muddled, esp. a confused mental state.
10. a confused, disordered, or embarrassing condition; mess.
[1540-50; MUD + -LE; c. MD moddelen to muddy]
Syn. 1. confuse, botch, bungle, spoil.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Muddle — Mud dle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Muddled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Muddling}.] [From {Mud}.] 1. To make turbid, or muddy, as water. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] He did ill to muddle the water. L Estrange. [1913 Webster] 2. To cloud or stupefy; to render stupid… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • muddle up — ˌmuddle ˈup [transitive] [present tense I/you/we/they muddle up he/she/it muddles up present participle muddling up past tense …   Useful english dictionary

  • muddle — ► VERB 1) bring into a disordered or confusing state. 2) confuse or perplex (someone). 3) (muddle up) confuse (two or more things) with each other. 4) (muddle along/through) cope more or less satisfactorily. ► NOUN ▪ a mudd …   English terms dictionary

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  • muddle — [mud′ l] vt. muddled, muddling [< MUD + LE] 1. to mix up in a confused manner; jumble; bungle 2. to mix or stir (a drink, etc.) 3. to make (water, etc.) turbid 4. to confuse mentally; befuddle, as with alcoholic liquor …   English World dictionary

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  • muddle — I verb addle, baffle, becloud, befog, befuddle, bewilder, botch, bungle, cloud, complicate, confound, confundere, confuse, daze, derange, disarrange, discompose, disconcert, disorder, disorganize, disturb, embrangle, entangle, fluster, fog,… …   Law dictionary

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