Reverse Dictionary: MER – MES

MERCENARY – adjectives
– VENAL connected or associated with sordid and unprincipled bargaining; subject to mercenary or corrupt influences …1718
– VENDITIVE † of a person: ready to be of service for purely mercenary considerations …1633
mercenary – adverbs 
– VENALLY * in a venal or mercenary manner …1756
mercenary – person
– VAGER a soldier hired for wages; a mercenary soldier; a ‘wageour’ …Bk1865 Sc.
– VENTURER a mercenary soldier; a raider or looter following an army …1599
– WAGEOUR † a mercenary soldier; a soldier hired for wages …1375 Sc. 
– WILD GOOSE a mercenary …Vietnam war usage 
 
MERCHANDISE – nouns
– CATS AND DOGS slow-selling or undesirable merchandise …Bk2006 US sl.
– DOGS merchandise that nobody wants to buy …Bk2006 US sl.
– FAKE cheap, esp. worthless, merchandise sold by street vendors …L19 US sl.
– GARBLE † a mixture or assortment of merchandise …1618
– HABERDASH † petty merchandise, small wares …1419
– HABERDASHERY the goods and wares sold by a haberdasher …1419
– ICTA a thing, portable possession; goods, equipment; clothing; merchandise  …1856 Amer. dial.
– IKTA a thing, portable possession; goods, equipment; clothing; merchandise   …1862 Amer. dial.
– MARCHANDYE merchandise …Bk1905 Sc.
– ROBIN HOODS merchandise, goods …1992 UK rhyming sl.
merchandise – verbs 
– HABERDASH † to deal in haberdashery or small wares …1635
 
MERCHANT – person
– BALLOONIST a merchant who charges excessive prices for his goods …World War II Amer. sl.
– BAZAARI an Iranian merchant or shop owner …1978 
– CHICKEN NABOB a merchant who has returned from India with a moderate rather than a magnificent fortune …L18 sl.
– DUSTYFOOT † a traveller, a wayfarer; a travelling peddler or merchant …a1400 Sc.
– FACTOR one who buys or sells for another person – a mercantile agent – a commission merchant …1491
– FARAND-MAN † a traveller, a stranger; an itinerant merchant ….a1400 Sc. & Eng. dial.
– GENERAL DEALER a merchant or shopkeeper who deals in many kinds of goods …1709
– GENERAL MERCHANT a merchant or shopkeeper who deals in many kinds of goods …Bk1901 
– MAHCHEEN a merchant …M19 Anglo-Chinese
– MARCANTANT †* a merchant …1596
– MASSER † a merchant …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– MONGER a merchant, trader, dealer, or trafficker, frequently of a specified commodity; from the 16th century, a person engaged in a petty or disreputable trade or traffic …a975
– NEGOTIANT † a merchant or trader …1768
– OCCUPIER † one who employs money or goods in trading; a trader, dealer, merchant …1509
– PACKIE a peddler; a travelling merchant in soft goods …1832 Sc.
– PACKIEMAN a peddler; a travelling merchant in soft goods …1868 Sc.
– PACK-MERCHANT a peddler; a travelling merchant in soft goods …1877 Sc.
– PALINGMAN a merchant born in England …Bk1775
– SCAT-MERCHANT a merchant who has failed in business …1882 Eng. dial.
– SHONK (derogatory) a Jewish merchant …19C sl.
– SHONKEY, SHONKY (derogatory) a Jewish merchant …19C sl.
 
MERCIFUL – adjectives
– CLEMENTIOUS † mild and humane in the exercise of power or authority; merciful, lenient, kindly towards those in one’s power …1632
– ELEEMOSYNOUS †* compassionate, merciful …c1590
– MASSIFUL merciful …1815 Amer. dial.
– MERCIABLE † merciful, compassionate …a1225
– MILCEFUL † merciful, gracious …c1225
– OREFUL † honourable, venerable; merciful, compassionate …743-5
– REMISSFUL †* full of remission, merciful …1603
merciful – phrases 
– SOFT FIRE MAKES SWEET MALT an admonition to be gentle or merciful …1546
 
MERCIFULNESS – nouns
– LENITY mildness, gentleness, mercifulness in disposition or behaviour …1548
 
MERCILESS – adjectives
– CREWELL † cruel, merciless, pitiless, hard-hearted …c1385 
– DESPITEOUS spiteful, malevolent, malicious, cruel;  passing gradually into the sense: pitiless, merciless …c1510
– DISPITEOUS cruel; spiteful; pitiless, merciless …1803 
– HARD-HEARTED not susceptible to persuasion or to strong emotions; unfeeling; obdurate; cruel, merciless …c1225
– IMPITEOUS cruel, ruthless, pitiless, merciless …1877 
– ORELESS † void of reverence, mercy or pity; merciless, cruel …a1000
– SANGUINOLENT * bloodthirsty; cruel; merciless; eager to kill …1577-87
– SANGUINOUS † bloodthirsty; attended by bloodshed; cruel; merciless …1663 
– STONE-HEARTED * cruel, hard-hearted, pitiless, merciless, unfeeling …1569 
– UNMERCIABLE † cruel, unkind, merciless, pitiless; unmerciful …a1382 
– WANTON † of persons: insolent in triumph or prosperity; reckless of justice and humanity; merciless …1513
merciless – person 
– SCALPER a merciless person, esp. in financial dealings …L19 sl.
merciless – verbs 
– HAVE PLENTY OF GUTS BUT NO BOWELS to be unfeeling, even hard, merciless …L18 colloq.
 
MERCILESSNESS – nouns
– CRUDELITY † cruelty, mercilessness, hard-heartedness …1483
 
MERCY – nouns
– MERCIMENT mercy; discretion …1839 Sc.
– ORE † grace, favour, mercy, pity, clemency …a1000
mercy – verbs
– BEMERCY † to treat with mercy, to show mercy to …1640
– HOLLER CALF-ROPE to plead for mercy or admit defeat; to say uncle …1859 US sl.
– HOLLER UNCLE to admit defeat, to beg for mercy …1918 US sl.
– I-MILCE † to have mercy upon; to pardon …c1000
– SAY CALF-ROPE to plead for mercy or admit defeat; to say uncle …1859 US sl.
– SAY UNCLE to admit defeat, to beg for mercy …1918 US sl.
– TAKE PITYSAKE ON to have mercy on, to take pity on …1952 Amer. dial.
– YELL CALF-ROPE to plead for mercy or admit defeat; to say uncle …1859 US sl.
 
MERE – adjectives
– NETTY † mere, sheer …1801 Sc.
 
MERELY – adverbs
– ALL SIMPLY † merely, only …c1430
– BARELY merely, simply, only …1577 arch.
– SINGLY † solely, only; merely …1654-66 now rare or obs.
 
MERENESS – nounns
– BARENESS † mere or simple quality; mereness …1607
 
MERINGUE – nouns
– CALF-SLOBBERS meringue …1927 Amer. dial.
 
MERIT – adjectives
– VALIANT †* of great worth or merit; worthy …1480
– VALOROUS † having value, worth, or merit; valuable …1592
merit – nouns
– ALMOUS a meritorious act …1805 Sc.
– EARNING † the fact of deserving, merit; that which one deserves …c1020
– FAIR FUCKS credit, merit …1992 Ireland sl.
– OFSERVING † deserving, desert, merit …c1240
– VALURE † worthiness or merit …1422
merit – verbs
– HAVE IT COMING to deserve; to merit; usually ‘it’ is unpleasant …L19 sl.
– OFGO † to gain, to win, to obtain; to obtain by merit, to deserve, to earn …c1000
– OFSERVE † to deserve, to merit; to obtain by deserving; to earn …a1225
 
MERMAID, MERMAN – nouns
– MEER-WOMAN † a mermaid …1822 Sc.
– MER-LADY a mermaid …1822 Sc.
– MERROW a mermaid …1862 Ireland
– MERRY-MAID a mermaid …1865 Eng. dial.
– MER-WIFE † a mermaid-wife …1822 Sc.
– MER-WOMAN † a mermaid …1822 Sc.
– MEWMAID a mermaid …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– MARMENNILL a merman …1805
 
MERRILY – adverbs
– CADGILY cheerfully, merrily …a1724 Sc.
– CADGY happily, merrily, cheerfully …1896 Sc.
– CAGILY gaily, merrily, cheerfully …1724 Sc.
– CAIGY happily, merrily, cheerfully …1896 Sc.
– DAFTLY merrily, gaily …1789 Sc.
– FEASTLY † as men do at a feast; merrily …c1250
– HEARTSOMELY cheerily, merrily, joyously, blithely …1732 Sc.
– LUSTICK † merrily, jovially …1607
– MERDLY merrily …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
 
MERRIMENT, MERRY-MAKING – adjectives
– LARKISH adj. fond of a lark or a piece of merriment or mischief; frolicsome, sportive …1882 colloq.
merriment, merry-making – nouns
– AUL’ DAY the day after a merrymaking when no work is done …1785 Sc.
– BALTIORUM riotous proceedings; the boisterous merrymaking which often accompanies a bonfire …Bk1898 Eng. dial.
– CAKES AND ALE merrymaking; all the good things of life; material pleasures; pleasant food; good living …c1570
– DAFFER merriment …Bk1900 Sc.
– DAFFERY merriment, fun; romping …1790 Sc.
– DAFFING frolicking, toying, merriment …1535
– DAFFLIN fooling, merriment …Bk1900 Eng. dial.
– DAFFRY merriment, fun; romping …1790 Sc.
– DAFT DAYS a time of frivolity and merriment; hence, one’s youth …1822 Sc.
– DERAY uproar, merriment, noise, disorder, chaos, disarray; a noisy party …1727 Sc. & Eng. dial.
– DILDAM a loud noise made at a wedding or merrymaking …1884 Eng. dial.
– FLASH a burst of wit or merriment …Bk1893 sl.
– GALE † singing, a song; merriment; mirth …c1200
– GALRAVITCHING riotous living, feasting; a noisy merrymaking …1820 Sc.
– GAMMON a joke, trick; play, sport, merriment …1869 Eng. dial.
– GANSE merriment, hilarity, liveliness …Bk1900 Eng. dial.  
– GAUDEAMUS a college-students’ merry-making …1823
– GAUDING † a making merry; jesting; scoffing …a1553
– GAUDY † rejoicing, joy; a festival, merry-making …1535
– GAYNESS † delight, merriment, pleasure …1377
– HAYDIGEES high spirits; merriment, roistering …1829 Eng. dial.
– HIGH-DEGREES high spirits; merriment, roistering …1829 Eng. dial.
– HIGHDIGEES high spirits; merriment, roistering …1829 Eng. dial.
– JAFFLING merriment, banter …1830 Sc.
– JAUL a good time, merry-marking, enjoyment, entertainment …1950s S. Afr.
– JAWL a good time, merry-marking, enjoyment, entertainment …1950s S. Afr.
– JOL a good time, merry-making, enjoyment, entertainment …1950s S. Afr.
– JOLLIMENT † mirth, merriment, jollity, gaiety …1590 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
– JOLLING merry-making, ‘partying’ …1980s S. Afr.
– JOLLY a good time; a spree; a party; a merry-making …1905 colloq.
– JUNKETING the act of feasting, banqueting, or merrymaking …1555
– LARK a frolicsome adventure; a spree; a piece of merriment or mischief; fun of any kind; a trick …1802 colloq.
– OLIPRANCE rude, boisterous merriment; a romp …c1700 Eng. dial.
– OLY-PRANCE a merrymaking; rough boisterous merriment; a romping match …1790 Eng. dial.
– ONCARRY a stir, a bustle, a to-do, a capering about, rowdy behaviour, merriment, frolic …c1850 Sc.
– POTLATCH an extravagant party or bout of merrymaking …1902 Amer. dial.
– RANDAN n. a drunken carousal or riot; riotous or disorderly behaviour; a spree; a noisy merrymaking …c1710
– RANDY a frolic; a merrymaking; a drunken carousal …1825 Sc. & Eng. dial.
– RANDY-GO a noisy merrymaking or revel …1825 Eng. dial.
– RANDY-ROW a noisy merrymaking; a disturbance …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– RANT a boisterous, riotous frolic or merrymaking; a spree …1675 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
– RAPS sports, games, merrymakings …BK1905 Eng. dial.
– REVEL-ROUT † uproarious revelry; boisterous merriment; tumultuous festivity; an occasion of revelling, a revel; a rough, noisy, and indecent gathering or carouse …a1553 arch. or obs.
– SCAFF † diversion, merriment …1802 Sc.
– TANSY a merrymaking in a public-house …1857 Eng. dial.
– TANSY-CAKE a merrymaking …1846 Eng. dial.
merriment, merry-making – person
– ORGIAST * a merrymaker given to excessive indulgence …1791-3
merriment, merrymaking – verbs
– MARDLE vb. to indulge in merrymaking; to drink together …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
merriment – merry-making – interjections
– CARE-AWAY! † an exclamation of merriment or recklessness; away with care! …1440
 
MERRY – adjectives
– BOUSUM merry …Bk1911 Sc.
– CANT bold, brisk, courageous, hearty, lusty, lively, merry, hale …a1300 Sc. & N. Eng. dial.
– CADGY cheerful, merry; glad; friendly and hospitable; in good spirits; lively, excited, spry …1725 Sc. & N. Eng. & Amer. dial.
– CATCHY merry, jocund …1804 Sc.
– CHERRY-MERRY cheerful, merry, especially from conviviality; slightly inebriated …1775 sl.
– CHIRPY said of someone who is cheerful or merry …1837 sl.
– COBBY stout, hearty, brisk, lively, pert, saucy, in good spirits, merry, cheerful, well in health …1691 Eng. dial.
– COCK-A-LILTY in a merry mood …19C Eng. dial.
– ECKLE-FECKLE cheerful, merry, gay; also applied to one who possesses a sound and penetrating judgement …1825 Sc.
– FAIRISH merry with drink …1888 Eng. dial.
– FESTIVOUS festive, jovial, merry, gay, mirthful …1654
– GAMELY † sportive, merry …c1425
– GAMESOME frolicsome, merry, playful, sportive …c1350
– GAY of persons, their attributes, and actions: full of joy and mirth; light-hearted, exuberantly cheerful, sportive, merry …a1310
– GAYISH somewhat merry …1824
– GLEESOME merry, gay, joyous, gleeful, lively …1603 archaic or Eng. dial.
– HEARTSOME full of mirth, merry, cheerful, lively, light-hearted, joyous; pleasant, genial …1724 chiefly Sc.
– HILAIRE †* gay, cheerful, merry …1575
​​- JOCANT † mirthful, merry, gay, jocund …c1440
– JOCATORY † characterized by joking; jocular, jesting, merry …1576
– JOCULATORY † having the character of a jester; uttered in jest; jocular, droll, humorous, sportive, merry, jesting …1623
– JOVY † jovial, merry, gay …1426
– LIGHTSOME not weighed down by care, pain, or sorrow; light-headed, cheerful, merry; also, enlivening, entertaining …a1366
– LUDITORY merry, sportive, playful …B1900
– LUSTICK † merry, jolly; chiefly used with reference to drinking …a1616
– LUSTY † of persons and their attributes: joyful, merry, jocund; cheerful, lively …a1225
– MERRIMENTAL † merry; noisy …1821 Eng. dial.
– MIRKY merry, gay, light-hearted …1790 Sc. 
– MURKIE merry, gay, light-hearted …1790 Sc. 
– OLY-PRANCING boisterously merry …1790 Eng. dial.
– QUIRKY playful, witty, merry, good-humoured …1856 Sc. & Eng. dial.
– RAFFIN roistering, merry, boisterously hearty …1721 Sc.
– RAFFING * merry, hearty; noisy …1719 Sc.
– RAG-TIME merry …1901 colloq.
– TIP-MERRY † merry with liquor, slightly intoxicated …1612 sl.
– TITTUPING rollicking, lively, merry …1796
– TOORAL-OORAL partially intoxicated; merry with drink …B1900 Eng. dial.
– VADY proud, vain, ostentatious, showing off; elated, in high spirits, frisky, gay, merry …1733 Sc.
– VAUDIE cheerful, merry, gay, elated, delighted …c1720 Sc.
– VAUDY elated, cheerful, gay, merry, delighted …c1720 Sc.
– VOCKIE merry, gay, light-hearted, happy …c1715 Sc. 
– VOGGY merry, cheerful, delighted, gay, happy; elated, contented …B1900 Sc.
– VOGIE merry, cheerful, delighted, gay, light-hearted, happy …c1715 Sc.
– VOUDIE adj. proud, vain, ostentatious, showing off; elated, in high spirits, frisky, gay, merry …1733 Sc.
– WADDIE proud, vain, forward, ostentatious, showing off; elated, in high spirits, frisky, cheerful, gay, merry …1733 Sc.
– WADY proud, vain, forward, ostentatious, showing off; elated, in high spirits, frisky, cheerful, gay, merry …1733 Sc.
merry – person
– GALLIARD a gay, lively fellow; a brisk, merry, pleasant person …1768 arch. 
– GAMESTER † a merry, sportive, or frolicsome person …1616
– GAY GREEK * a merry, boisterous or dissolute person; a roisterer; a person of loose habits …1536
– GIGLET 1. a giddy, laughing, romping girl; a merry, light-hearted, playful girl …a1340
2. †*applied to a man: one excessively given to merriment …1529
– GIGLO a merry, light-hearted, laughing, romping girl; a giddy, silly, thoughtless girl …a1340
– GIGLOT a merry, light-hearted, laughing, romping girl; a giddy, flighty, silly, thoughtless girl …a1340
– GINKIE † a merry, light-hearted, playful girl; a giglet …1825 Sc.
– PATTICK a fool, simpleton, a silly person; one who talks nonsense; a merry fellow …1856 Eng. dial.
– RAMPS a noisy, merry, boisterous fellow …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– SAD DOG a merry fellow, a gay man; a man given to joking …Bk1865 sl. 
merry – verbs
– BE ON THE MERRY-PIN to be excited or merry …1790 Eng. dial.
– CAROL † to dance and sing, to make merry …a1300
– GAMF † to be foolishly merry; to laugh loudly …1825 Sc.
– GAMP to be foolishly merry, to laugh loudly; to mock, to mimic …1825 Sc.
– GAMPH † to be foolishly merry; to laugh loudly …1825 Sc.
– GAUD † to make merry; to sport, to jest; to scoff at …1532
– GAUMP to be foolishly merry, to laugh loudly; to mock, to mimic …Bk1900 Sc.
– GAWD † to make merry; to sport, to jest; to scoff at …1532
– GO ON A LARK to be mischievously merry; to go on a spree …c1815 colloq.
– HAVE A LARK to be mischievously merry; to go on a spree …c1815 colloq.
– HILARATE †* to make merry, cheerful, or gay; to exhilarate …1623
– JUNKET † to hold or attend a banquet or feast; to make merry, to celebrate, esp. with eating and drinking …1607
– LARK to play, esp. the fool; to be mischievously merry; to go on the spree …1813 colloq.
– RANT to frolic, to romp; to be jovial, boisterous, uproariously gay or merry; to lead a gay or dissolute life; also, to sing or talk loudly …1598
– SIMPER LIKE A FURMITY-KETTLE to smile; to look merry or cheerful …18C colloq.
– SIMPER LIKE A POT THAT’S READY TO RUN OVER to smile; to look merry or cheerful …1631 colloq.
– TAKE A LARK to be mischievously merry; to go on a spree …c1815 colloq.
 
MERRY-GO-ROUND – nouns
– BULLETINE a homemade merry-go-round …1966 Amer. dial.
– GO-AROUND a merry-go-round …1958 Amer. dial.
– JENNIE, JENNY a homemade merry-go-round …1966 Amer. dial.
– JENNY-GO-ROUND a homemade merry-go-round …1968 Amer. dial.
– RANTER-GO-ROUND a merry-go-round …1893 Eng. dial.
– RIDING MARE a homemade merry-go-round …1969 Amer. dial.
– SPIN-‘EM-ROUND a merry-go-round …1851 Eng. dial.
– WHIRLICUE a merry-go-round …1968 Amer. dial.
– WHIRLING JENNY a homemade merry-go-round; ‘made by sawing off a sapling about four feet from the ground. The core of the tree is left sticking up to form a peg and a hole to fit the peg is bored in the middle of a long and heavy plank. This plank is placed across the stump, a boy running at each end of the plank and away they go …1902 Amer. dial.
– WHIRL JENNY a homemade merry-go-round; ‘made by sawing off a sapling about four feet from the ground. The core of the tree is left sticking up to form a peg and a hole to fit the peg is bored in the middle of a long and heavy plank. This plank is placed across the stump, a boy running at each end of the plank and away they go …1967 Amer. dial.
 
MERRYMAKER – see MERRIMENT
 
MESOPOTAMIA – nouns
– MESSPOT, THE Mesopotamia …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
 
MESS, MESSED UP, MESSY – adjectives
– ALL OF A QUOB in a mess; in a heap; also used of a bad bruise …Bk1905 Eng. dial. 
– BALLED-UP mixed up, in a mess …L19 US sl.
– BATTLED UP untidy, in a mess or litter …Bk1898 Sc.
– CACKED messed up …1990s US teen sl.
– DAGGY of clothes, appearance, etc.: dirty; filthy; slovenly; messy; unkempt; unpleasant …1967 Aust. sl.
– EAT UP disorganized, messy, all over the place …1990s sl.
– FUBAR ‘fucked-up beyond all recognition’; pert. to a horribly messed-up person or situation …M20 US sl.
– FUMTU Fucked Up More Than Usual – pert. to a state considerably more messed up than usual …M20 Brit. & US sl.
– FUTZED-UP fucked up, messed up, confused; broken …20C US sl.
– GRUNGED-OUT dirty, messy; unappetizing, unappealing …1980s US sl.
– GRUNGEY dirty, messy, unappetizing, unappealing …1960s sl.
– GRUNGY dirty, messy, unappetizing, unappealing …1960s sl.
– GUNGEY, GUNGY filthy; sticky; clogged with filth, esp. with an unidentifiable or disgusting viscid substance; messy, ugly, smelly, old, or ragged …1962 UK sl.
– GUNKY unpleasantly viscous or sticky; messy, mucky; gooey …1937 colloq.
– GURRIED UP dirty; messy …1975 Amer. dial.
– IN A MUX confused, disarranged, messy …1846 Amer. dial.
– IN A PEPPER-POT in a mess, in difficulties …17C sl.
– IN A PICKLE in a mess, in difficulties …17C sl.
– JUNKED-UP cluttered with junk, messed up, untidy …1950 sl.
– MANGED-OOP messed, badly mixed …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– MISPUT untidy, messy …1966 Amer. dial.
– MUXY mixed up, messy, sloppy …1893 Amer. dial.
– SCROOBLY messy, mussy, untidy …1916 Amer. dial.
– SCRUFF messy, unkempt …1950s sl.
– SKEWGEE disorderly, messy, mixed up, confused …1893 Amer. sl.
– SOZZLY messy, sloppy …Bk1942 Amer. sl.
– TICKY untidy, rough, shabby, unpolished, messy …1886 Amer. dial.
– YUCKY messy,  gooey …1975 sl.
– YUKKY messy,  gooey …1975 sl.
mess, messed up, messy – nouns  (includes MESSINESS)
– ABORT a foul-up; a mess; snafu …1978 US military sl.
– AGGLE a mess; a confused or dirty state …1902 Sc.
– BAGS a mess; a botched enterprise …2004 Ireland sl.
– BALLIX a mess; a messed-up or balled-up situation …20C sl.
– BALLS-UP a real mix-up; a mess, muddle; a chaotic state of affairs; a fiasco, a disaster …1929 sl.
– BALL-UP a mess; a confused situation …E20 Brit. sl.
– BILLET a mess, a scrape …Bk1898 Eng. dial.
– BOAR’S NEST an untidy or messy room or house …1950 Amer. dial.
– BOAR’S ROOM an untidy or messy room …1966 Amer. dial.
– BOGGLE-DE-BOTCH a complete bungle, a mess …1834 colloq.
– BOGGLEDY BOTCH a complete bungle, a mess …1834 colloq.
– BUMBLE-BATH a mess, a pickle, a confusion …1595 sl.
– CIRCLE JERK chaos, a mess …1970s US sl.
– CODS a mess …1960s sl.
– CRUM-A-GRACKLE a mess, a difficulty, a bother, a perplexity …19C Eng. dial.
– DALLACK an unsightly mess or portion; a dropping of something …1807 Eng. dial.
– DOG’S BREAKFAST, A something that is messy or bungled
– DOG’S DINNER a confused or jumbled mess …1902 UK sl.
– DUMPSTER FIRE a chaotic or disastrously mishandled situation; an embarrassing spectacle; a debacle, a shambles, a mess …2008
– FRIG-UP, FRIGG-UP a disaster; a blunder; a mess …1940s sl., orig. Aust.
– F.U. a ‘foul-up’ or ‘fuck-up’; a grave muddle …M20
– FUCK-UP a mess; a confusion …20C US sl.
– GAGGLE a moist, soft mass; a mess …1908 Sc.
– GANG-FUCK an uncoordinated mess …1995 UK sl.
– GUNGE an unidentifiable or disgusting dirty, messy, or sticky substance; general filth …1965 colloq.
– GUNK an unidentified and unpleasant substance; any nasty, messy stuff, dirt, slime; any sticky, viscous liquid, esp. hair tonic, cosmetics, lubricants, etc. …1932 US sl.
– GUT BUCKET a fish bait boat; hence, a messy space of any kind …1975 US sl.
– HAGGIS a botched job, a mess …1929 Sc.
– HASHY a mess, a muddle, confusion; noise, riot …1866 Sc.
– HASSIE a mess, a muddle, confusion; noise, riot …1866 Sc.
– HATTER a confused or disorderly array; a heap; a mess …c1626 Sc.
– HUTZELSUP among Nova Scotians of German descent: a confused mess …1999 Can.
– JAKES a state of dirty mess or untidiness; a mess, confusion …1867 Eng. dial.
– KEEGER a mess; an untidy mixture; a muddle …1910 Sc.
– KEEROCH any strange or messy mixture …1825 Sc.
– KIGGER a mess; an untidy mixture; a muddle …1910 Sc.
– LAGGER a litter, mess …Bk1902 Eng. dial.
– LAGGERY a mess; a state of muddle or chaos …1914 Sc.
– MAMMOCK a mess, a botch …1867 Amer. dial.
– MANCH a confused mass; a mess; a muddle; fig. a blunder, a dilemma …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– MARE’S NEST an untidy jumble; a mess; a tangle of debris in a stream …1948 Amer. dial.
– MARTYR a spoilt or dirty condition or appearance; a mess; anything that causes such a condition …Bk1905 Sc.
– MAUNGE a confused mess, a mess, a muddle; a blunder, a dilemma, trouble …1876 Eng. dial.
– MAWKS a mess; a mixture; a state of decay …1887 Eng. dial.
– MERGAL confusion, a mess …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– MERGLE confusion, a mess …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– MESSMENT a mess; a confused, disorderly, or dirty condition; a muddle, a confusion; anything unpalatable …1889 Eng. dial.
– MINGLE-MANGLE a medley; a confused mixture; a hotch-potch; a mess; confusion …1549
– MIX a muddle, a mess …L19 sl.
– MOMMICK a mess, a botch …1952 Amer. dial.
– MOMMIX a mess, a botch …1953 Amer. dial.
– MOMOX a mess, a botch …1867 Amer. dial.
– MOX a mess; a mixture; a state of decay …1887 Eng. dial.
– MUSS a mess …Bk1905 Amer. dial.
– N.A.B.U. a complete disaster; an irreconcilable mess (Non-Adjusting Balls-Up) …1940s sl., orig. US military
– OOGIS a mess, confusion, mix-up …1964 Sc.
– OOTRASH a mess, an untidy person …1959 Sc.
– PARGIS a dirty mess, a muddle, a filthy condition …1929 Sc.
– PIGS mistakes, a mess …20C Royal Air Force sl.
– PIG’S BREAKFAST something unattractive or unappetizing; a mess; a muddle …1933 colloq.
– PUDDLE a muddle, a mess …16C colloq. & Eng. dial.
– QUIGGER a hotchpotch; a mess, as of badly-cooked food; a muddle or botch in general …1967 Sc.
– RAG ORDER chaotic disorder; a mess …1983 UK military sl.
– RAT’S NEST a disordered mess; a tangle, esp. of hair …1850
– RIDE-OUT a mess …1890 Amer. dial.
– RING JERK chaos, a mess …1970s US sl.
– SCAMBLE anything done irregularly; a mess; a litter …Bk1904 Eng. dial.
– SCLATCH a mess of any kind, a botch, a bungle …1969 Sc.
– SKLATCHIN a clot or mass of something messy or untidy …1866 Sc.
– SNARL-UP a chaotic mess; often applied to a near-gridlock in a traffic system …1960 UK sl.
– THRUM a tangle, a mess; a tangled mass of anything; an untidy piece of dress, etc. …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– TUTTLE a mess …B1900 Eng. dial.
– VARG 1. a mess, an untidy mix-up, dirt, rubbish …1891 Sc.
2. messiness, dirty or disgusting work or conditions …1908 Sc.
– VERG a mess …1892 Sc.
– WADDLE a sloppy mess …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– YUCK messy or disgusting material …1966 sl.
– YUK messy or disgusting material …1966 sl.
mess, messed up, messy – person
– CACKER a blunderer; one who makes a mess …1990s US sl.
– GALLIMAUFRIER † one who makes a gallimaufry or medley of something; one who messes or mixes things up …1592 
– MESS a person who is messy or untidy; a person who is disorganized or incapable of being organized …1891 UK sl.
– MOMMICK someone who makes a mess …1968 Amer. dial.
– RAG BAG a messy, unkempt person …1920s Aust. & NZ sl.
– RAG DOLL a messy, unkempt person …1920s Aust. & NZ sl.
– SCRUFF an unkempt, messy person; also, a term of abuse …1950s sl.
– SCRUFF-BAG a messy, unkempt person …1920s sl.
mess, mess up, messy – verbs
– AGGLE to soil or defile; to make a mess …1866 Sc.
– ARSE to make a mess of something; to botch something …1996 Sc. sl.
– ARSE UP, ASS UP to botch, to spoil something; to mess up …1932 Amer. sl.
– BALL UP to make a mess of; to confuse …Bk2004 Amer. sl. 
– BALLS UP to mess up …1911 sl.
– BE IN PRETTY TANGS to be in a fine mess …1878 Eng. dial.
– BLUE to make a mess of, to spoil, to ruin …1880 sl.
– BUGGER UP to ruin, to spoil; to damage; to make a mess of; to muddle, to mishandle …1891
– BULLOX to throw into disorder or confusion; to mix up; to mess or disarrange things …1949 Amer. dial.
– CACK to make a mess …L19 sl.
– COCK IT UP to make a complete mess of something …1979 UK sl.
– CUT A HOG to make an embarrassing mistake; to blunder, to make a mess of things …1935 US Black sl.
– DAWDLE to spoil, to mess, to bedabble …Bk1900 Sc.
– DIRTY UP to clutter or mess up a place …1965 Amer. dial.
– FLUB UP to mess up; to foul up …Bk2006 US sl.
– FOOZLE to perform clumsily; to bungle; to make a mess of …19C sl.
– FOUL UP to blunder; to mess up …Bk2006 US sl.
– FRIG-UP, FRIGG-UP to make a blunder, to make a mess of …1930s sl., orig. Aust.
– F.U. to ‘foul-up’ or ‘fuck-up’ …M20
– FUCK UP to ruin; to mess up; to confuse …20C US sl.
– GAFFLE UP to confuse, to mess up, to hurt …20C teen & high school sl.
– GAGGLE to bungle, to mess up; to work with something messy …1929 Sc.
– GAR to jumble, to mix or mess up by stirring, etc. …1866 Sc.
– GLOM to tangle up, to make a hash of, to mess …1927 Amer. dial.
– GOOF to make a mess of …1960s sl.
– HASH to spoil, to damage; to destroy; to make a mess of …1773 Sc.
– HAVE MARRIED THE WIDOW to have made a mess of things …19C Brit. sl.
– JAZZ UP to confuse; to mess up; to interfere with; to ruin or impair; to botch …1917 Amer. sl.
– KEEGER to mix up messily, to mess about, to work in a slovenly, dirty, or ineffective way, to puddle, to potter …1903 Sc.
– KIGGER to mix up messily, to mess about, to work in a slovenly, dirty, or ineffective way, to puddle, to potter …1903 Sc.
– KWEECHER, QUEECHER to mix up messily, to mess about, to work in a slovenly, dirty, or ineffective way, to puddle, to potter …1903 Sc.
– LOUSE UP to spoil, to mess up …1934 sl.
– MAKE A BAGS OF to make a mess of something …1998 Ireland sl.
– MAKE A BALLS OF to make a thorough mess of (a job) …20C sl.
– MAKE A MULLOCK to make a mess of some undertaking …1873 Eng. dial.
– MAKE AN ARSE OF to match a mess of something; to botch something …1996 Sc. sl.
– MAKE A PIG’S EAR to make a mess of …colloq.
– MAWKS to mess, to dirty …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– MOMMICK to mix up; to make a mess of …1903 Amer. dial.
– MOMMOCK to disarrange, to tumble, to throw into confusion; to pull about, to mess, to make dirty; to worry …1899 Eng. dial.
– MOMOX to botch, to mess up, to confuse …1867 Amer. dial.
– MUCK ABOUT to mess up; to create confusion …20C Brit. colloq.
– MUCK UP to make a mess of …L19
– MUMMICK to cut awkwardly; to mess or make a mess of  …1899 Amer. dial.
– MUMMOCK to disarrange, to tumble, to throw into confusion; to pull about, to mess, to make dirty; to worry …1899 Eng. dial.
– MUMMOX to botch, to mess up …1942 Amer. dial.
– MUNK UP to make a mess of …1994 Amer. dial.
– MUSS to mess, to disarrange …Bk1905 Amer. dial.
– MUX (UP) to mess up; to paw over, to maul …1806 Amer. dial.
– NAFFLE to rumple; to mess …1864 Sc.
– NAFF UP to make a mess; to blunder; to ‘fuck up’ …1980s euphemism
– NIGGER UP (derogatory) to do, make, or repair something in a careless, haphazard, or tasteless manner; to mess something up …1967 Amer. dial.
– PISS UP to ruin, to make a mess of …1937 sl.
– RAG to wreck, to make a mess of …1904 school sl.
– SCREW THE POOCH to mess up …1991 Amer. dial.
– SNAFU to mess up, to make a blunder; to ruin something …M20 US sl.
– TAZZLE to muddle, to mess up, to confuse; to make untidy or disorderly …1948 Amer. dial.
– TAZZLE UP to muddle, to mess up, to confuse; to make untidy or disorderly  …1948 Amer. dial.
– TEAR UP to mess up, to make untidy or disorderly, to muddle up, to disarrange …1939 Amer. dial.
– VARG to work in dirty conditions, to perform a messy task …1908 Sc.
mess, messed up, messy – phrases
– DEVIL HAD A FIT IN HERE, THE suggests a very untidy or messy house or room …1966 Amer. dial.
– DEVIL HAD AN AUCTION AND HASN’T TAKEN HIS GOODS AWAY, THE suggests a very untidy or messy house or room …1967 Amer. dial.
– DEVIL HAD AN AUCTION, THE suggests a very untidy or messy house or room …1950 Amer. dial.
– IN RAG ORDER in dire straits, in a mess …1940s Irish & Aust.
– IN RAGS in dire straits, in a mess …1940s Irish & Aust.
 
MESS ABOUT, MESS AROUND – verbs
– BUGGER ABOUT to mess around; to work ineffectually …1937 sl.
– FAFF to mess about, restlessly and ineffectually, wasting time, often while something quite urgent needs attention; to play or fool around, to waste time …c1930
– FAFF ABOUT to mess about; to waste time on matters of no importance; to be indecisive or fussy …1874 UK sl.
– FAFF AROUND to mess about; to waste time on matters of no importance; to play or fool around …1874 UK sl.
– FUTZ AROUND, PHUTZ AROUND to waste time; to mess around; to trifle with …1910s US sl.
– PISSANT AROUND to mess about; to loiter, to wander aimlessly …1945 Aust. sl.
 
MESSAGE – nouns
– ANSWER a message …1922 Amer. dial.
– CADGE, THE a message …1934 Glasgow sl.
– CHITTY a letter or note, a written message …1698 Anglo-Indian
– SAND † the act of sending; that which is sent, a message, present …c1000
message – verbs
– BESEND † to send to, to send a message to …1297
 
MESSENGER – person
– BEADSMAN † a messenger …1377
– BICYCLE MESSENGER a messenger or courier who uses a bicycle to transport and deliver communications, packages, etc. …1886 orig. US
– CAD a messenger or errand boy …1835 sl.
– CADDIE, CADDY, CADEE, CADIE a lad or man who waits about on the lookout for chance employment as a messenger, errand-boy, etc.; esp. a golf-attendant …1730 Sc.
– CARRIER PIGEON a messenger or courier …1933 US sl.
– CAWDY a lad or man who waits about on the lookout for chance employment as a messenger, errand-boy, etc.; esp. a golf-attendant …1730 Sc.
– CORBIE a messenger who fails to return, or returns too late …1928 Sc.
– GHOLAM a courier, a messenger …1820
– LACKEY, LACQUEY a messenger; an errand-boy …Bk1902 Eng. dial.
– LEGATE an ambassador, delegate, messenger …1382
– LOBBY-GOW an errand-boy, messenger, or hanger-on …1906 US sl.
– MESHER a messenger …Bk1905 Eng. dial.
– ORATOR † one sent to plead or speak for another; an ambassador, an envoy, a messenger …1494
– PAGE a young person employed by a court or legislative body to act as a messenger, run errands, etc. …1840 Amer.
– RESPONSAL † an official messenger; esp. one appointed by a prelate to give or send replies to questions …1570 
– SAND † a person or body of persons sent on an errand; an embassy; an envoy, a messenger …1038
– SANDERBODE † a messenger; an envoy; an ambassador …c1200
– SANDER MAN † a messenger, envoy, ambassador …1123
– SANDESMAN † a messenger, an envoy, an ambassador …1123
– SANDISMENE † messengers …Bk1852
– SAND-MAN † a messenger, an ambassador …c1205
– SAYND a person sent with a message; a messenger …1375 Sc.
– VAUNT-COURIER one who goes or is sent out in advance in order to prepare the way or to announce the approach of another; a forerunner; a harbinger, a messenger …1561
– YOUNG MAN a male youth employed as an apprentice, assistant, messenger, etc. …1608 chiefly arch.