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Ravel is to tangle, or to complicate something like a question or situation.

(verb)

When you tangle a handful of cable cords, this is an example of when you ravel.
When someone asks you a question and you give a wandering and confusing answer that only complicates matters, this is an example of when you ravel.

The definition of a ravel is a cluster, tangle or knot.

(noun)

A balled up, tangled knot of Christmas decorations is an example of a ravel.

See ravel in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb raveled or ravelled, raveling or ravelling

Now Rare to make complicated or tangled: parts of his argument were all raveled up
to separate the parts, esp. threads, of; untwist; unweave; unravel
to make clear; disentangle

Origin: MDu ravelen (Du rafelen), akin to LowG rabbeln, Dan dial. vrøvle: for IE base see rhapsody

intransitive verb

to become separated into its parts, esp. threads; become unwoven; fray (out)
Archaic to become complicated or tangled

noun

a raveled part in a fabric; raveling
a tangled mass or complication

Related Forms:

raveler noun or raveller

Ravel, Maurice (Joseph) 1875-1937; Fr. composer

See ravel in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb rav·eled also rav·elled, rav·el·ing also rav·el·ling, rav·els also rav·els

verb, transitive

To separate the fibers or threads of (cloth, for example); unravel.
To clarify by separating the aspects of.
To tangle or complicate.

verb, intransitive

To become separated into its component threads; unravel or fray.
To become tangled or confused.

noun

A raveling.
A broken or discarded thread.
A tangle.

Origin:

Origin: Obsolete Dutch ravelen

Origin: , from ravel, loose thread

Related Forms:

ravˈel·er, ravˈel·ler noun

French composer of impressionistic operas, ballets, orchestral works, such as Boléro (1928), and piano works, including Le Tombeau de Couperin (1917).

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