INDEX:
1. to mix substances or liquids together
2. to become mixed
3. substances that have been mixed together
4. mixed untidily together
5. to mix ideas, feelings, styles etc
6. a mixture of different people, qualities, ideas etc
7. different emotions that are mixed together
8. when different things do not mix well
RELATED WORDS
to make a mistake and think that one thing or person is another : ↑ CONFUSED
consisting of people or things of different kinds : ↑ VARIOUS/OF DIFFERENT KINDS
see also
↑ PURE
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1. to mix substances or liquids together
▷ mix /mɪks/ [transitive verb]
to mix different liquids or substances together so that they can no longer be separated :
mix something and something
▪ You can make green by mixing blue and yellow paint.
mix something together
▪ Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
▪ If these two chemicals are mixed together, they will explode.
mix something with something
▪ Concrete is made by mixing gravel with sand, cement, and water.
▷ combine /kəmˈbaɪn/ [transitive verb]
to mix different substances or liquids together thoroughly in order to produce a new substance or liquid :
combine something and something
▪ Combine the egg yolks and the cream, and cook over a low heat.
combine something with something
▪ Steel is produced by combining iron with carbon.
▪ To maintain a constant standard, some wine producers combine this year’s wine with stocks from the previous year.
▷ stir /stɜːʳ/ [transitive verb]
to mix things by moving them around in a container with a spoon or a stick :
▪ Stir the paint to make sure that the colours are thoroughly mixed.
stir something into something
▪ I watched him as he stirred sugar into his coffee.
stir in something/stir something in
▪ When the butter has melted, stir in the soy sauce and ginger.
▪ Add the grated cheese to the sauce and stir it in.
▷ beat /biːt/ [transitive verb]
to mix liquids or soft substances together when you are preparing food, with quick, strong movements of a fork, spoon, or special machine :
▪ Carry on beating the eggs with a fork until they’re light and fluffy.
beat something together
▪ In a separate bowl, beat together the oil and flour.
beat something into something
▪ Beat the cream into the fruit puree, pour into bowls, and chill.
▷ blend /blend/ [transitive verb]
to mix liquids or soft substances when you are preparing food, in order to make one smooth substance, using something such as a fork or special machine :
▪ Blend the sugar, eggs, and flour.
blend something together
▪ The ingredients should be blended together until they are smooth.
blend something into something
▪ Beat the egg yolks with 2 tablespoons of water and blend them into the white sauce.
▷ whisk /wɪsk/ [transitive verb]
to mix foods that are soft or liquid very quickly so that air is mixed in, especially using a fork or special tool :
▪ Whisk the eggs and sugar in a bowl over a pan of hot water.
whisk something together
▪ He whisked the butter and eggs together, wondering if this was the right way to make an omelette.
▷ dilute /daɪˈluːt/ [transitive verb]
to mix a liquid with water in order to make it weaker :
▪ For babies, dilute the fruit juice with at least the same amount of water.
dilute something with something
▪ Concentrated bleach can be diluted with water.
2. to become mixed
▷ mix /mɪks/ [intransitive verb]
▪ Oil and water do not mix.
▪ After a short time the oxygen and the nitrogen molecules will start to mix.
mix with
▪ A heater introduces warm air to mix with incoming cold air.
▷ combine /kəmˈbaɪn/ [intransitive verb]
if two or more substances or liquids combine, they mix to produce a new substance :
▪ When the two chemicals combine, they form an explosive compound.
combine with
▪ Greenhouse gases combine with hydrocarbons to form smog.
▷ mingle /ˈmɪŋg ə l/ [intransitive verb]
if two or more liquids, smells, sounds etc mingle, they mix but can still be recognized separately :
▪ The noise was tremendous; bombs, guns, and engines mingled in discordant sound.
mingle with
▪ The smell of the sea mingled with the faint scent of the grass.
▪ Water spread across the floor in a greasy stream, mingling with the pile of filthy rubbish.
3. substances that have been mixed together
▷ mixture /ˈmɪkstʃəʳ/ [countable noun]
several different liquids or substances that have been mixed together :
▪ Place all the ingredients in a bowl and beat them until the mixture is smooth.
▪ The car runs on a special ether-alcohol mixture that won’t work in an ordinary engine.
mixture of
▪ A special mixture of peat and soil is used for growing bonsai trees.
▷ combination /ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃ ə n, ˌkɒmbəˈneɪʃ ə nǁˌkɑːm-/ [countable noun]
a mixture of different substances, colours etc that are used together :
▪ Banana, orange juice, and cream may seem an odd combination, but together they make a delicious drink.
combination of
▪ The sweater is made of a combination of natural and synthetic fibres.
▷ compound /ˈkɒmpaʊndǁˈkɑːm-/ [countable noun]
a mixture of two or more chemical substances that combine to produce a single substance with qualities that are different from the original substances - use this in scientific or technical contexts :
▪ The soil was tested to make sure that it was free from ammonia or any other nitrogen compound.
chemical compound
▪ Sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide are two common chemical compounds.
▷ solution /səˈluːʃ ə n/ [countable noun]
a liquid that has something mixed in with it - use this in scientific contexts :
▪ Make a salt solution by dissolving 9 tablespoonfuls of cooking salt in a pint of water.
▪ We are now going to measure the boiling points of the different solutions.
4. mixed untidily together
▷ mixed up /ˌmɪkst ˈʌp◂/ [adjective]
things such as papers, clothes, or objects that are mixed up are put together untidily when they do not belong together, or are in the wrong order :
▪ The drawer was full of mixed up bits of paper, old letters, and photographs.
▪ The tapes are a bit mixed up, but it shouldn’t take too long to sort them out.
▷ jumbled/jumbled up/jumbled together /ˈdʒʌmb ə ld, ˌdʒʌmb ə ld ˈʌp, ˌdʒʌmb ə ld təˈgeðəʳ/ [adjective]
things such as papers, books, clothes etc that are jumbled are mixed together very untidily, especially in a pile, so that it is difficult to find anything :
▪ A jumbled collection of clothes lay on the floor.
▪ The rucksack contains several pockets to prevent odds and ends getting jumbled up.
▪ a drawer full of letters all jumbled together
▷ tangled /ˈtæŋg ə ld/ [adjective]
hair, grass, string etc that is tangled is mixed up and difficult to separate :
▪ He ran a hand through his tangled hair.
▪ The concrete highway was edged with tangled dry grass.
5. to mix ideas, feelings, styles etc
▷ combine /kəmˈbaɪn/ [transitive verb]
to have different qualities or feelings at the same time, or to do very different activities at the same time :
combine something with something
▪ This is a computer system that combines maximum flexibility with absolute accuracy.
combine something and something
▪ He designed the first great suspension bridge, an idea that combines beauty and function perfectly.
▷ be a mixture of something and something /biː ə ˈmɪkstʃər əv something ən something/ [verb phrase]
to contain different features or ideas, mixed together :
▪ Her work is a mixture of classical and modern styles.
▪ Billy’s voice was a mixture of apprehension and indignation.
▷ bring together /ˌbrɪŋ təˈgeðəʳ/ [transitive phrasal verb]
if you bring together two or more elements, ideas, or characteristics, you mix them so that they can be seen at the same time :
▪ It is a marvellous book, which brings together all the necessary elements of romance and adventure.
▪ These opposing views should be brought together in a single paragraph, to form the conclusion to your essay.
▷ blend /blend/ [transitive verb]
if a piece of work, a film, a book etc blends two or more features or characteristics, it mixes them successfully :
blend something and something
▪ The ballet company’s repertoire blends tradition and creative innovation.
blend something with something
▪ Her first novel successfully blends a sense of innocence with overwhelming bitterness.
▷ mingle /ˈmɪŋg ə l/ [transitive verb]
to show two very different characteristics or feelings at the same time, mixing them together :
▪ Heraklion mingles traditional charm with a bustling centre of pavement cafes and shops.
mingle something with something
▪ Mingling genuine news with gossip, she made a lively companion.
▷ merge /mɜːʳdʒ/ [transitive verb]
to combine or join two things together to form one thing :
merge something with something
▪ The library profession is merging new techniques with old to produce an unbeatable combination of management skills.
6. a mixture of different people, qualities, ideas etc
▷ mixture /ˈmɪkstʃəʳ/ [singular noun]
▪ The house behind us was a strange architectural mixture.
mixture of
▪ He looked at her with a mixture of admiration and curiosity.
▪ A long French liner slipped majestically by with a mixture of European and Asian faces staring curiously from the decks.
▷ combination /ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃ ə n, ˌkɒmbəˈneɪʃ ə nǁˌkɑːm-/ [countable noun]
a mixture of different ideas, problems etc happening together, or different people working together, which has a particular effect :
combination of
▪ Our problems were due to a combination of bad management and lack of experience.
▪ Their music is an odd combination of jazz and opera.
a good/bad/successful/disastrous etc combination
▪ They were a perfect combination - Anton as chef and Guy as restaurant manager.
a winning combination
a very successful combination
▪ If all the team are playing well, then don’t change a winning combination.
▷ mix /mɪks/ [singular noun]
a mixture of different qualities or of different types of people :
mix of
▪ The market square is a fascinating mix of ancient and modern.
▪ She went to New York, where she began to meet a different mix of people -- artists, designers, and art collectors.
▷ blend /blend/ [singular noun]
a mixture of different qualities or characteristics that combine successfully :
blend of
▪ The England team is a good side, with a nice blend of experience and youthful energy.
▪ Sometimes he seems to be an extraordinary blend of artist, poet and businessman.
▷ a cross between something and something /ə ˈkrɒs bɪtwiːn something ən something ǁ-ˈkrɔːs-/ [noun phrase]
something that is a cross between one thing and another is a mixture of the two different things :
▪ The expression on Paul’s face was a cross between amusement and disbelief.
▪ It’s difficult to describe my job. I suppose I’m a cross between a secretary and a translator.
▪ The use of chemical fertilizers has turned the farmer into a cross between an industrial chemist and a mechanic.
▷ fusion /ˈfjuːʒ ə n/ [singular noun]
something such as a style of art or writing that is produced by combining different ideas, styles, qualities etc :
fusion of
▪ The film is a fusion of history and contemporary events.
▪ His philosophy is a fusion of intellect and spiritual belief.
▷ hybrid /ˈhaɪbrɪd, ˈhaɪbrəd/ [countable noun]
something that is a mixture of two or more things, especially a plant that is produced from different types of plants :
hybrid of
▪ a foodcrop that is a hybrid of wheat and rye
▪ The new constitution was a hybrid of presidential and parliamentary systems.
a hybrid system/approach/method etc
▪ a hybrid approach combining the merits of both methods
7. different emotions that are mixed together
▷ mixed /mɪkst/ [adjective]
▪ Reactions to the announcement were somewhat mixed.
have mixed feelings/emotions
▪ The other girls had mixed feelings, some of them were happy for me but some were jealous.
▪ Many new step-parents will admit to having mixed emotions about their new family.
▷ combined /kəmˈbaɪnd/ [adjective]
showing two very different feelings or emotions at the same time :
▪ He had an air of combined gloom and relief.
combined with
▪ Their relief that war had been avoided was combined with sadness at what they had lost.
▷ mingled /ˈmɪŋg ə ld/ [adjective]
mixed, but still felt or shown as separate emotions :
▪ The mingled emotions that haunted his mind were reflected in his eyes.
mingled with
▪ As I spoke his expression was one of amazement mingled with fury.
8. when different things do not mix well
▷ do not mix /ˌduː nɒt ˈmɪks/ [verb phrase]
if two different kinds of behaviour or activity do not mix, you cannot successfully continue with both of them at the same time :
▪ People having affairs at work often find that business and romance don’t mix.
do not mix with
▪ Heavy drinking does not mix with a successful family life.
▷ incompatible /ˌɪnkəmˈpætɪb ə l, ˌɪnkəmˈpætəb ə l/ [adjective]
if two things or people are incompatible, they cannot easily exist together, work together, or live together :
▪ The centre gives advice to women who find the demands of marriage and work incompatible.
▪ After we got married, we realized we were completely incompatible.
incompatible with
▪ These computers are incompatible with our present system.
▷ do not go well together /ˌduː nɒt gəʊ ˈwel təˌgeðəʳ/ [verb phrase]
if two ideas, characteristics etc do not go well together, they do not mix easily or well :
▪ In the experience of many European countries, socialism and religion do not go well together.