adv., adj., & n.
adv. 1 headlong, recklessly (rushed pell-mell out of the room). 2 in disorder or confusion (stuffed the papers together pell-mell).
adj. confused, tumultous.
n. confusion; a mixture.
[ F pêle-mêle, OF pesle mesle, mesle pesle, etc., redupl. of mesle f. mesler mix ]