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mangle

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Mangle is defined as to destroy by tearing, crushing or bruising.

(verb)

An example of to mangle is to violently cut apart a wired fence.

The definition of a mangle is a machine with rollers which is used to press large smooth pieces of cloth.

(noun)

An example of a mangle is a machine in a cleaners which is used to iron sheets.

See mangle in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb mangled, mangling

to mutilate or disfigure by repeatedly and roughly cutting, tearing, hacking, or crushing; lacerate and bruise badly
to spoil; botch; mar; garble: to mangle a text

Origin: ME manglen < Anglo-Fr mangler, prob. freq. of OFr mehaigner, maim

Related Forms:

mangler noun

noun

a machine for pressing and smoothing cloth, esp. sheets and other flat pieces, between heated rollers

Origin: Du mangel < Ger < MHG, dim. of mange, a mangle < L manganum < Gr manganon, war machine, orig. deceptive device < IE base *meng-, to embellish deceptively > MIr meng, deceit, L mango, falsifying dealer

transitive verb mangled, mangling

to press in a mangle

Related Forms:

mangler noun

See mangle in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb man·gled, man·gling, man·gles

To mutilate or disfigure by battering, hacking, cutting, or tearing. See Synonyms at batter¹.
To ruin or spoil through ineptitude or ignorance: mangle a speech.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English manglen

Origin: , from Anglo-Norman mangler

Origin: , frequentative of Old French mangoner, to cut to bits

Origin: ; possibly akin to mahaignier, to maim; see mayhem

Related Forms: