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tangle

noun
🔊/ˈtæŋɡl/
🔊/ˈtæŋɡl/
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  1. a twisted mass of threads, hair, etc. that cannot be easily separated（线、毛发等的）缠结的一团，乱团，乱糟糟的一堆
    • a tangle of branches盘绕在一起的树枝
    • Her hair was a mass of tangles.她的头发乱糟糟的。🔊🔊
    Extra Examples
    • This string's in a tangle.绳子缠成了一团。
    • a dense tangle of undergrowth一片密密匝匝的下层灌木丛
    • (figurative) I had to pick my way through the tangle of bodies.我不得不奋力从一堆人中间穿过。
    • (figurative) a confused tangle of voices一片嘈杂的声音
    Topics Appearancec2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • confused
    • dense
    • thick
    • …
    … of tangles
    • mass
    verb + tangle
    • get in/​into
    • sort out
    • unravel
    • …
    preposition
    • in a tangle
    • tangle of
    See full entry
  2. a lack of order; a confused state混乱；纷乱
    • His financial affairs are in a tangle.他的财务一塌糊涂。🔊🔊
    Extra Examples
    • The legal tangle was never really unravelled.这起法律纠葛从来没有真正解决。
    • These arrests have created a diplomatic tangle.这些逮捕行动造成了外交纠纷。
    • a complex tangle of loyalties一堆乱七八糟的购物积分卡
    • He got into a tangle pronouncing her name.他纠结着宣布她的名字。
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
    • confused
    • dense
    • thick
    • …
    … of tangles
    • mass
    verb + tangle
    • get in/​into
    • sort out
    • unravel
    • …
    preposition
    • in a tangle
    • tangle of
    See full entry
  3. (informal) a disagreement or fight纠纷；不和；争执；打架Topics Opinion and argumentc2
    4. Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘entangle, catch in a tangle’): probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Swedish dialect taggla ‘disarrange’.

tangle

verb
🔊/ˈtæŋɡl/
🔊/ˈtæŋɡl/
 [transitive, intransitive]
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they tangle
🔊/ˈtæŋɡl/
🔊/ˈtæŋɡl/
he / she / it tangles
🔊/ˈtæŋɡlz/
🔊/ˈtæŋɡlz/
past simple tangled
🔊/ˈtæŋɡld/
🔊/ˈtæŋɡld/
past participle tangled
🔊/ˈtæŋɡld/
🔊/ˈtæŋɡld/
-ing form tangling
🔊/ˈtæŋɡlɪŋ/
🔊/ˈtæŋɡlɪŋ/
Phrasal Verbs
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  1. tangle (something) up to twist something into an untidy mass; to become twisted in this way使缠结；纠结；乱作一团
    • She had tangled up the sheets on the bed as she lay tossing and turning.她在床上翻来覆去，把被单弄得乱成一团。🔊🔊
    Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘entangle, catch in a tangle’): probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Swedish dialect taggla ‘disarrange’.