make a mess of — to do something very badly or create disorder
Part of speech: VERB
Definition: to do something very badly or create disorder
Pronunciation (IPA): /meɪk ə ˈmes əv/
Example Sentences
- Tom made a mess of cooking dinner and ordered pizza instead.
- She made a mess of her first driving test by forgetting to signal.
- The new intern made a mess of organizing the files - now nothing can be found!
make a mess of
VERB[/meɪk ə ˈmes əv/]
to do something very badly or create disorder
to do something very badly or create disorder
Make a mess of dinner under stress, time to confess!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
This phrasal verb combines the Old English verb 'make' (to create or produce) with 'mess', which derives from Old French 'mes' (a portion of food, or a group dining together). Originally referring to a military dining arrangement, 'mess' gradually acquired connotations of disorder and untidiness, eventually yielding the phrase 'make a mess of' meaning to bungle or create chaos.
Breakdown
make (Old English, to create/produce) + mess (Old French 'mes', originally a serving of food or dining group, later disorder) + of (preposition indicating the object affected). The construction treats 'mess' as both a noun and a state that one can actively create through the verb 'make'.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Tom made a mess of cooking dinner and ordered pizza instead.”
“She made a mess of her first driving test by forgetting to signal.”
“The new intern made a mess of organizing the files - now nothing can be found!”
“Don't let him help with the decorations - he'll make a mess of it.”
📚Related Words
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