tangle1

[tang-guh l] /ˈtæŋ gəl/
verb (used with object), tangled, tangling.
1.
to bring together into a mass of confusedly interlaced or intertwisted threads, strands, or other like parts; snarl.
2.
to involve in something that hampers, obstructs, or overgrows:
The bushes were tangled with vines.
3.
to catch and hold in or as if in a net or snare.
verb (used without object), tangled, tangling.
4.
to be or become tangled.
5.
Informal. to come into conflict; fight or argue:
I don't want to tangle with him over the new ruling.
noun
6.
a tangled condition or situation.
7.
a tangled or confused mass or assemblage of something.
8.
a confused jumble:
a tangle of contradictory statements.
9.
Informal. a conflict; disagreement:
He got into a tangle with the governor.
Origin
1300-50; Middle English tangilen, tagilen to entangle < Scandinavian; compare Swedish (dial.) taggla to disarrange
Related forms
tanglement, noun
tangler, noun
tangly, adverb
Synonyms
8. snarl, net, labyrinth, maze.

tangle2

[tang-guh l] /ˈtæŋ gəl/
noun
1.
any of several large seaweeds of the genus Laminaria.
Origin
1530-40; < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse thǫngull strand of tangle, Norwegian tang
Examples from the web for tangle
  • If you run the loose end of the cord underneath the knot, the tangle will come undone.
  • The place is a tangle of lips and tongues and hands, all groping and exploring.
  • He swiftly set to work to straighten out the tangle and give the firm's best bits some breathing room.
  • Also found were an ax with a copper blade, two arrows, and a tangle of string.
  • Certain activities with obviously positive aspects, such as skiing and winter tourism, have created a tangle of drawbacks.
  • The strands may loop and twist, but they never cross and tangle.
  • The new self-coiling hoses won't tangle or kink, and they store neatly, but they aren't flawless.
  • Read with a suitably cold eye, they also remind us that personal history and myth want to tangle and merge.
  • Cheetahs are usually too smart to tangle with hyenas.
  • If this great tangle of brick and steel and cement and tun-.
British Dictionary definitions for tangle

tangle1

/ˈtæŋɡəl/
noun
1.
a confused or complicated mass of hairs, lines, fibres, etc, knotted or coiled together
2.
a complicated problem, condition, or situation
verb
3.
to become or cause to become twisted together in a confused mass
4.
(intransitive) often foll by with. to come into conflict; contend: to tangle with the police
5.
(transitive) to involve in matters which hinder or confuse: to tangle someone in a shady deal
6.
(transitive) to ensnare or trap, as in a net
Derived Forms
tanglement, noun
tangler, noun
tangly, adjective
Word Origin
C14 tangilen, variant of tagilen, probably of Scandinavian origin; related to Swedish dialect taggla to entangle

tangle2

/ˈtæŋɡəl/
noun
1.
alternative names (esp Scot) for oarweed
Word Origin
C16: of Scandinavian origin: compare Danish tang seaweed
Word Origin and History for tangle
v.

mid-14c., nasalized variant of tagilen "to involve in a difficult situation, entangle," from a Scandinavian source (cf. dialectal Swedish taggla "to disorder," Old Norse þongull "seaweed"). In reference to material things, from c.1500. Meaning "to fight with" is American English, first recorded 1928. Related: Tangled; tangling. Tanglefoot (1859) was Western American English slang for "strong whiskey."

n.

1610s, "a tangled condition," from tangle (v.).

Slang definitions & phrases for tangle

tangle

verb

To fight; mix it up (1928+)