MESS UP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does mess up mean? 

• MESS UP (verb)
  The verb MESS UP has 3 senses:

1. make a mess of, destroy or ruin

2. disturb the smoothness of

3. make a mess of or create disorder in

  Familiarity information: MESS UP used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MESS UP (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make a mess of, destroy or ruin

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

ball up; blow; bobble; bodge; bollix; bollix up; bollocks; bollocks up; botch; botch up; bumble; bungle; flub; fluff; foul up; fuck up; fumble; louse up; mess up; mishandle; muck up; muff; screw up; spoil

Context example:

the pianist screwed up the difficult passage in the second movement

Hypernyms (to "mess up" is one way to...):

fail; go wrong; miscarry (be unsuccessful)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

mess-up (something badly botched or muddled)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Disturb the smoothness of

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

mess up; ruffle; ruffle up; rumple

Context example:

ruffle the surface of the water

Hypernyms (to "mess up" is one way to...):

disarrange (destroy the arrangement or order of)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

Make a mess of or create disorder in

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

mess; mess up

Context example:

He messed up his room

Hypernyms (to "mess up" is one way to...):

disarray; disorder (bring disorder to)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something