Reverse Dictionary: MESS

ADJECTIVES
► ALL OF A QUOB in a mess; in a heap; also used of a bad bruise → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► ALL OF A STEW disordered, in a mess, turned upside-down, topsy-turvy → 1990 — Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► ANTIPODEAN in a mess, chaotic → M17 sl.
► ANY HOW disorganized, messy → L19 sl.
► BALLED-UP mixed up, in a mess → L19 US sl.
► BATTLED UP untidy, in a mess or litter → 1898 Sc. (Bk.)
► CACKED messed up → 1990s US teen sl.
► CAUCHY ► KAUTCHY dirty, messy, muddy → 1867 Eng. dial.
► CLATTY cluttered, messed up; disorderly; confused → 1889 Amer. dial.
► 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’; bungled, ruined, messed up → 1944 US, orig. military 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.
► GOOFED ► GOOFED UP messed up; out of order → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► GRUNGED-OUT dirty, messy; unappetizing, unappealing → 1980s US sl.
► GRUNGEY ► 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.
► GUNGY of a sticky or messy consistency; mucky, greasy, slimy → 1971 sl.
► GUNKY unpleasantly sticky; messy, mucky; gooey → 1937 colloq., orig. US
► 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, untidy, messed up → 1950 US sl.
► MANGED-OOP messed, badly mixed → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► MISPUT untidy, messy → 1966 Amer. dial.
► MUNGY unpleasantly messy, soiled or dirty → 1989 US colloq.
► MUSSED UP untidy, messy, disordered; rumpled; confused; of hair: ruffled, tousled → 1857 colloq., chiefly US
► MUXY mixed up, messy, sloppy → 1893 Amer. dial.
► RIDE-OUT messy, disorderly → 1996 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► SCROOBLY untidy, messy → 1916 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► SCRUFF messy, unkempt → 1950s sl.
► SHEG-UP in a state of disorder or disarray; ruined, messed up → 1941
► SKEWGEE disorderly, messy, mixed up, confused → 1893 Amer. sl.
► SOZZLY messy, sloppy → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► SWINISH fit only for pigs; of low quality, unpleasant; dirty, messy; said of food, shelter, etc. → c1548
► TICKY untidy, rough, shabby, unpolished, messy → 1886 Amer. dial.
► YUCKY messy,  gooey → 1975 sl.

NOUNS
► ABORT a foul-up; a mess; snafu → 1978 US military sl.
► AGGLE a mess; a dirty, soiled condition → 1902 Sc.
► BAGS a mess; a botched enterprise → 2004 Ireland sl.
► BALLIX a mess; a messed-up or balled-up situation → 20C sl.
► BALLOCKS a mess → 1930s sl.
► BALLS-UP ► BALL-UP a real mix-up; a mess, muddle; a chaotic state of affairs; a fiasco, a disaster → 1929 sl.
► BILLET a mess, a scrape → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► BLOOTER a failure, a mess; an instance of excessive behaviour → 1970 UK sl. (Bk.)
► BLUNGE a  mess, a muddle → 1898 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► BOAR’S NEST an untidy or messy room or house → 1950 Amer. dial.
► BOAR’S ROOM an untidy or messy room → 1966 Amer. dial.
► BOB JOLLY a mess; the result of leaving things to take care of themselves → 1895 Eng. dial.
► BODGE-UP a mess or disaster → 2007 UK sl.
► BOG a mess, a disaster → 1980s UK sl.
► BOGGLE-DE-BOTCH ► BOGGLEDY BOTCH a complete bungle, a mess → 1834 colloq.
► BOG-UP a mess; a badly improvised job → 2007 UK sl. (Bk.)
► BOX a blunder, a mix-up, a mess → L19 Aust. sl.
► BUGGER’S MUDDLE, A a mess → 2004 UK sl. (Bk.)
► BUMBLE a confused, disorganized, or untidy collection of things; a jumble, a muddle, a mess → 1648
► BUMBLE BROTH a mess; a muddle → 1572
► BUMBLE-BATH a mess, a pickle, a confusion → 1595 sl.
► CAUCH ► CAUTCH  a mess, a disagreeable mixture → 1874 Eng. dial.
► CAUDLE a mess, muddle, entanglement → 1854 Eng. dial.
► 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
► FIST a poor attempt, failure, mess → 1833 Amer. dial.
► 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.
► GORM a gooey mess → 1996 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► 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.
► HAIRBALL a mess; something difficult or unpleasant → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► HASHY ► HASSIE a mess, a muddle, confusion; noise, riot → 1866 Sc.
► HATTER a confused or disorderly array; a heap; a mess → c1626 Sc.
► HIGH-HOLER’S NEST a jumbled mess; an untidy room → 1968 Amer. dial.
► HOLY STINK anything repellent; a real mess; a great argument or debate; a major issue → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► 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 → 1902 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► 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 → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► 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 → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)
► 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 ► MERGLE confusion, a mess → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► 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.
► MODGE confusion; a state of dirt and disorder; a dirty mess → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► MOGRE a clumsy mess, confusion, disorder → 1825 Sc.
► MOILD a mess, confusion, muddle; turmoil, uproar → 1896 Eng. dial.
► MOMMICK ► MOMMIX ► MOMOX a mess, a botch → 1867 Amer. dial.
► MOX a mess; a mixture; a state of decay → 1887 Eng. dial.
► MUNG a mingling, a mixture; a confusion, a mess → c1175 obs. exc. Eng. dial.
► MUSS a state of untidiness or disorder; a muddle, a mess; messiness, confusion → 1839 colloq.
► 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 → 1904 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► 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.
► SOSS a sloppy mess or mixture; a dish of food having this character → 1691 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► THRUM a tangle, a mess; a tangled mass of anything; an untidy piece of dress, etc. → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► TUTTLE a mess → 19C Eng. dial.
► VARG ► VERG 1. a mess, an untidy mix-up, dirt, rubbish → 1891 Sc.
2. messiness, dirty or disgusting work or conditions → 1908 Sc.
► WADDLE a sloppy mess → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► YUCK ► YUK messy or disgusting material → 1966 sl.

NOUNS – PERSON
► CACKER a blunderer; one who makes a mess → 1990s US sl.
► FUCK-UP a person who does everything wrong; one who messes everything up → 2006 US sl.
► GALLIMAUFRIER one who makes a gallimaufry or medley of something; one who messes or mixes things up → 1592  obs.
► 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.

PHRASES
► ALL OVER THE PLACE LIKE A MAD WOMAN’S BREAKFAST in a state of chaos, extremely messy → 1999 Aust. sl. (Bk.)
► ALL OVER THE PLACE LIKE A MADWOMAN’S KNITTING in chaos, in utter disarray → 1953 Aust.
► ALL OVER THE PLACE LIKE A MADWOMAN’S LUNCH-BOX in chaos, in utter disarray → 1953 Aust.
► ALL OVER THE PLACE LIKE A MADWOMAN’S SHIT in chaos, in utter disarray, extremely messy → 1953 Aust.
► ARSE BACKWARDS back-to-front; in a mess, chaotic → L19 sl.
► DEVIL HAD A FIT IN HERE, THE suggests a very untidy or messy house or room → 1966 Amer. dial.
► DEVIL HAD AN AUCTION, THE suggests a very untidy or messy house or room → 1950 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 TO PAY AND NO PITCH HOT, THE a nice mess! → L18
► IN RAG ORDER in dire straits, in a mess → 1940s Irish & Aust.
► IN RAGS in dire straits, in a mess → 1940s Irish & Aust.

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 ► 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.
► BOG UP to make a mess of, to spoil → 2007 UK sl. (Bk.)
► 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.
► CRAP UP to make a mess of, to bungle, to foul up; to mess up → 1941 sl., orig. US
► CUT A HOG to make an embarrassing mistake; to blunder, to make a mess of things → 1935 African-American sl.
► DAWDLE to spoil, to mess, to bedabble → 1900 Sc. (Bk.)
► DIRTY UP to clutter or mess up a place → 1965 Amer. dial.
► FLUB to make a mess of; to bungle; to botch → 2009 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► FLUB UP to mess up; to foul up → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► FOOZLE to perform clumsily; to bungle; to make a mess of → 19C sl.
► FOUL UP to blunder; to mess up → 2006 US sl. (Bk.)
► 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
► FUBAR to ruin, to bungle, to mess up → 1946 US, orig. military sl.
► FUCK UP to ruin; to mess up; to confuse → 20C US sl.
► FUTZ UP to spoil, to confound, to mess up → 1947 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.
► GUM THE GAME to make a mess; to cause an obstruction → 20C sl.
► GUM UP to mess up, to spoil → 20C US sl.
► GUM UP THE JOB to make a mess; to cause an obstruction → 1910s sl.
► GUM UP THE WORKS to make a mess; to cause an obstruction → 1910s 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 ► 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 → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► MOIL to be fidgety or restless; to worry; to be in a flurry, mess, or confusion → 1870 Eng. dial.
► MOMBLE to jumble together; to ravel, to tangle; to wrinkle, to crumple; to crumble; to mess; to bungle; to do anything in a clumsy way → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► MOMMICK ► MOMMOCK ► MOMOX ► MUMMICK ► MUMMOCK ► MUMMOX to botch, to mess up, to confuse → 1867 Eng. & Amer. dial.
► MUCK ABOUT to mess up; to create confusion → 20C Brit. colloq.
► MUCK UP to make a mess of → L19
► MUNK UP to make a mess of → 1994 Amer. dial.
► MUSS to mess, to disarrange → 1905 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► MUX ► 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
► NASTY UP to make a mess of, to dirty → 1970 W. Indies sl.
► NIGGER UP to do, make, or repair something in a careless, haphazard, or tasteless manner; to mess something up → 1967 Amer. dial., derogatory
► 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.
► SHEG to do badly, to make a mess of, to ruin, to botch, to bungle → 1979
► SHEG UP to make a mess of → 1995 W. Indies
► SMUDGE to bungle, to make a mess of something → 1864
► SNAFU to mess up, to make a blunder; to ruin something → M20 US sl.
► TAZZLE ► 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.