/ mɪks; NAmE / verb , noun
■ verb
COMBINE
1.
mix (A with B) | mix A and B (together) if two or more substances mix or you mix them, they combine, usually in a way that means they cannot easily be separated :
[ v ]
Oil and water do not mix.
Oil does not mix with water.
[ vn ]
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
If you mix blue and yellow, you get green.
I don't like to mix business with pleasure (= combine social events with doing business) .
2.
mix sth (for sb) | mix sb sth to prepare sth by combining two or more different substances :
[ vn ]
With this range of paints, you can mix your own colours.
[ vn , vnn ]
Why don't you mix a cocktail for our guests?
Why don't you mix our guests a cocktail?
3.
[ v ] if two or more things, people or activities do not mix , they are likely to cause problems or danger if they are combined :
Children and fireworks don't mix.
MEET PEOPLE
4.
[ v ] mix (with sb) to meet and talk to different people, especially at social events
SYN socialize :
They don't mix much with the neighbours.
MUSIC / SOUNDS
5.
[ vn ] ( technical ) to combine different recordings of voices and/or instruments to produce a single piece of music
•
IDIOMS
- be / get mixed up in sth
- be / get mixed up with sb
- mix and match
- mix it (with sb)
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- mix sth in (with sth)
- mix sth into sth
- mix sth into / to sth
- mix sth up
- mix sb/sth up (with sb/sth)
■ noun
COMBINATION
1.
[ C , usually sing. ] a combination of different people or things
SYN blend :
a school with a good social mix of children
The town offers a fascinating mix of old and new.
a pair of wool mix socks (= made of wool and other materials)
2.
[ C , U ] a combination of things that you need to make sth, often sold as a powder to which you add water, etc. :
a cake mix
cement mix
IN POPULAR MUSIC
3.
[ C ] = remix
4.
[ sing. ] the particular way that instruments and voices are arranged in a piece of music
5.
[ C ] an arrangement of several songs or pieces of music into one continuous piece, especially for dancing
••
SYNONYMS
mix
stir ♦ mingle ♦ blend
These words all refer to substances, qualities, ideas or feelings combining or being combined.
mix
to combine two or more substances, qualities, ideas or feelings, usually in a way that means they cannot easily be separated; to be combined in this way:
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
•
Oil and water do not mix.
stir
to move a liquid or substance around, using a spoon or sth similar, in order to mix it thoroughly:
She stirred her tea.
mingle
to combine or be combined.
NOTE
Mingle can be used to talk about sounds, colours, feelings, ideas, qualities or substances. It is used in written English to talk about how a scene or event appears to sb or how they experience it:
The sounds of laughter and singing mingled in the evening air.
•
He felt a kind of happiness mingled with regret.
blend
to mix two or more substances or flavours together; to be mixed together:
Blend the flour with the milk to make a smooth paste.
mix or blend?
If you blend things when you are cooking you usually combine them more completely than if you just mix them. Mix can be used to talk about colours, feelings or qualities as well as food and substances. In this meaning blend is mostly used in the context of cooking. It is also used to talk about art, music, fashion, etc. with the meaning of 'combine in an attractive way'.
PATTERNS AND COLLOCATIONS :
to mix / mingle / blend (sth) with sth
to mix / stir / mingle / blend sth into sth
to mix / stir / mingle / blend sth together
to mix / stir / blend sth thoroughly / well / gently
to mix / stir / blend ingredients
to mix / mingle / blend flavours
to mix / blend colours
mixed / mingled feelings
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English : back-formation from mixed (taken as a past participle).