mess

A thing or group of things in a disagreeable, disorganised, or dirty state; hence a bad situation.countableuncountable

• He made a mess of it.
• My bedroom is such a mess; I need to tidy up.

A large quantity or number.colloquialcountableuncountable

• My boss dumped a whole mess of projects on my desk today.
• She brought back a mess of fish to fix for supper.

Excrement.countableeuphemisticuncountable

• There was dog mess all along the street.
• Did you hear that? It scared the mess out of me.

A person in a state of (especially emotional) turmoil or disarray; an emotional wreck.countablefigurativelyuncountable

• Between the pain and the depression, I'm a mess.
• He's been a mess and a half ever since you excommunicated him.

To make untidy or dirty.; To make soiled by defecating.oftentransitive

• It seems like all you do is cry, eat, and mess your diapers!

To make untidy or dirty.; To make soiled by ejaculating.oftentransitive

To throw into disorder or to ruin.oftentransitive

• Charles Dickens, quoted in: 1875, John Forster, The Life of Charles Dickens Yet I was not sorry that the creature found the loophole for escape. The officers had taken him illegally without any warrant; and really they messed it all through

To interfere.intransitive

• This doesn't concern you. Don't mess.

Mass; a church service.obsolete

A quantity of food set on a table at one time; provision of food for a person or party for one meal; also, the food given to an animal at one time.archaic

• c. 1555, Hugh Latimer, letter to one in prison for the profession of the Gospel a mess of pottage

A number of persons who eat together, and for whom food is prepared in common, especially military personnel who eat at the same table.collective

• the wardroom mess

A building or room in which mess is eaten.

• The police mess had formerly been a maternity home for the wives of the Sultans of the state. Faded and tatty, peeling, floorboards eaten and unpolished, its philoprogenitive glory was a memory only.

a type of restaurant characterized by homely-style cooking and food.India

A set of four (from the old practice of dividing companies into sets of four at dinner).

The milk given by a cow at one milking.US

A group of iguanas.collective

• A Florida high school swimming pool has been shut down indefinitely after a mess of iguanas has claimed it for themselves.
• Love how green iguanas look like dinosaurs. Saw a 'mess' of iguanas on Little Conch Key in the Florida Keys. So cool!

A dessert of fruit and cream, similar to a fool.

• "I'll stand you both strawberry mess." It was perfectly impossible for David not to feel elated at sitting down to strawberry-mess with two members of the eleven, in the full light of day, and in sight of the school generally […]
• Similar desserts [to Eton Mess] include Lancing Mess (made with bananas), served at Lancing College in Sussex, and Clare College Mush[…]

To take meals with a mess.intransitive

To belong to a mess.intransitive

To eat (with others).intransitive

• Resolved 18. That no Guide or Interpreter whether at the Factory Depot or Inland be permitted to mess with Commissioned Gentlemen or Clerks in charge of Posts; but while at the Depot they will be allowed per Week 4 days ordinary rations...
• I mess with the wardroom officers.

To supply with a mess.transitive