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Antonyms for mess up


Grammar : Verb
Spell : mes-uhp
Phonetic Transcription : ˈmɛsˌʌp



Definition of mess up

Origin :
  • c.1300, "food for one meal, pottage," from Old French mes "portion of food, course at dinner," from Late Latin missus "course at dinner," literally "a placing, a putting (on a table, etc.)," from past participle of mittere "to put, place," in classical Latin "to send, let go" (see mission).
  • Meaning "communal eating place" (especially a military one) is first attested 1530s, from earlier sense of "company of persons eating together" (early 15c.), originally a group of four. Sense of "mixed food," especially for animals, (1738) led to contemptuous use for "jumble, mixed mass" (1828) and figurative sense of "state of confusion" (1834), as well as "condition of untidiness" (1851). General use for "a quantity" of anything is attested by 1830. Meaning "excrement" (of animals) is from 1903.
  • verb disorder, dirty
Example sentences :
  • The way they mess up their hair and go in for savage colors!
  • Extract from : « Erik Dorn » by Ben Hecht
  • I sees too many married troubles to mess up with such doings!
  • Extract from : « Slave Narratives, Oklahoma » by Various
  • Marjorie's arrivin' durin' business hours was likely to mess up the schedule.
  • Extract from : « Torchy » by Sewell Ford
  • The best spies and saboteurs in the world have been hired to mess up the Platform.
  • Extract from : « Space Platform » by Murray Leinster
  • There was no longer any doubt that Alma Dakin was in this mess up to her bangs.
  • Extract from : « Twelve Times Zero » by Howard Carleton Browne
  • The more people let it mess up their lives for them, the stuffier they grow.
  • Extract from : « The Book of Susan » by Lee Wilson Dodd
  • If we stick it anywhere else, it might mess up the whole operation.
  • Extract from : « Danger in Deep Space » by Carey Rockwell
  • I'll see that he doesn't spoil his pinafore or mess up his curls.
  • Extract from : « Ruth Fielding on Cliff Island » by Alice Emerson
  • Don't let's mess up Aunt Prue's wrapper more than can be helped.
  • Extract from : « Sheila of Big Wreck Cove » by James A. Cooper
  • Curse the blighters—they'll mess up my leave, it's due in a week's time.
  • Extract from : « Combed Out » by Fritz August Voigt

Synonyms for mess up

Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019