tangle Hear it!

tangle Definition

tan·gle (taŋgəl)

transitive verb -·gled, -·gling

  1. to hinder, obstruct, or confuse by or as by covering, circling, entwining, etc.
  2. to catch in or as in a net or snare; trap
  3. to make a knot or snarl of; intertwist

Etymology: ME tanglen, prob. nasalized var. of taglen, to entangle, akin to Swed dial. taggla, to disarrange

intransitive verb

  1. to become tangled
  2. Informal to fight, quarrel, or argue

noun

  1. an intertwisted, confused mass of things, as string, branches, etc.; snarl
  2. a jumbled, confused condition
  3. a perplexed state
  4. Informal a fight, quarrel, or argument

tangle Related Forms

tan·gler noun

tangle Synonyms

tangle

n.

tangle Synonyms

tangle

v.

tangle Usage Examples

Object

foot: One of them had his feet tangled up in a chair, so I knew they had gone down under the power of God.

Converse of object

  • eliminate: However, I also have a one inch piece of float tubing over the end of the whip to eliminate tangles.
  • avoid: Laying the rope on the grass would have avoided a tangle he said - XX off!
  • prevent: At last a product to prevent tangles in my hair!
  • remove: Be sure to use a good crème rinse or conditioner so help remove any tangles.

Adjective modifier

  • neurofibrillary: The neurofibrillary tangles -- which look like knotted string -- are mostly made up of a protein called tau.
  • dense: Montana types soon produce a dense tangle of stems for nesting birds.
  • thick: A young WREN was calling somewhere amidst the thick tangle of BRAMBLES.
  • complex: We need a reliable guide through the often complex tangle of arguments.

Modifies a noun

net: In a recent study, 2 % of tagged seals were killed in fishing gear, mainly gill and tangle nets.

Modifying Another Word

together: Can it produce a bumper harvest or are there too many crops tangled together?

Followed by an intransitive particle

up: Don't worry about getting tangled up in all the jargon - try our Glossary.

Preposition: of

  • bush: I felt faint and cold when I faced the empty space among the black tangle of bushes.
  • vegetation: Coot Lake The tangles of vegetation are also secure havens for nesting birds.
  • wire: Quickly he withdraws his hand, bringing along some small tangles of wire.
  • cable: It had to be simple to install, with no tangle of cables to struggle with.
  • hair: A skeleton with a tangle of brown hair adhering to it lay among the debris.
  • tape: Do you find your local council a confusing tangle of red tape?

Noun used with modifier

  • vine: David heard one and soon we were watching it in a vine tangle.
  • lap: The race had to be restarted after a series of opening lap tangles.

Browse dictionary entries near tangle

  1. Tangier
  2. tangible property
  3. tangible asset
  4. tangible
  5. tangerine
  6. tangential
  7. tangent
  8. tangelo
  9. Tanganyika
  10. tang
  1. tangled
  2. tanglefoot
  3. tangly
  4. tango
  5. tangram
  6. Tangshan
  7. Tanguy
  8. tangy
  9. Tanis
  10. tanist