I. ˈmes noun
Etymology: Middle English mes, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin missus course at a meal, from missus, past participle of mittere to put, from Latin, to send — more at smite
Date: 14th century
1. : a quantity of food:
a. archaic : food set on a table at one time
b. : a prepared dish of soft food ; also : a mixture of ingredients cooked or eaten together
c. : enough food of a specified kind for a dish or a meal
picked a mess of peas for dinner
2.
a. : a group of persons who regularly take their meals together ; also : a meal so taken
b. : a place where meals are regularly served to a group : mess hall
3.
a. : a disordered, untidy, offensive, or unpleasant state or condition
your room is in a mess
b. : one that is disordered, untidy, offensive, or unpleasant usually because of blundering, laxity, or misconduct
[the movie] is a mess , as sloppy in concept as it is in execution — Judith Crist
made a mess of his life
4. : a large quantity or number
a mess of problems
II. verb
Date: 14th century
transitive verb
1. : to provide with meals at a mess
2.
a. : to make dirty or untidy : disarrange — often used with up
don't mess up your room
b. : to mix up : bungle — often used with up
really mess ed up my life
3. : to interfere with — often used with up
magnetic storms that mess up communications — Time
4. : to rough up : manhandle — often used with up
mess him up good so he won't cheat us again
intransitive verb
1. : to take meals with a mess
2. : to make a mess
3.
a. : putter , trifle
children like to mess around with paints
b. : to handle or play with something especially carelessly
don't mess with my camera
— often used with around
c. : to take an active interest in something or someone
mess ing around with new video techniques
also : interfere , meddle
mess ing in other people's affairs
you'd better not mess with me
4. : to become confused or make an error — usually used with up
got another chance and mess ed up again