mess mess /ˈmɛs/

noun

1. () A state of confusion and disorderliness  ( messiness , muss [Informal, N. American] , mussiness , mess )
   a state of confusion and disorderliness
    The house was a mess
   the house was a mess
    She smoothed the mussiness of the bed
   she smoothed the mussiness of the bed
   
2. () (military) a (large) military dining room where service personnel eat or relax  ( mess , mess hall )
   (military) a (large) military dining room where service personnel eat or relax
   
   
3. () A meal eaten in a mess hall by service personnel  ( mess )
   a meal eaten in a mess hall by service personnel
     The soldiers gathered in the mess hall for a meal after a long day of training.
   The soldiers gathered in the mess hall for a meal after a long day of training.
   
   
4. () Soft semiliquid food  ( mess )
   soft semiliquid food
    A mess of porridge
   a mess of porridge
   
   
5. () Informal terms for a difficult situation  ( hole , jam , kettle of fish , fix , mess , muddle , pickle )
   informal terms for a difficult situation
    He got into a terrible fix
   he got into a terrible fix
    He made a muddle of his marriage
   he made a muddle of his marriage
   
6. (often followed by 'of') a large number, amount or extent  ( batch , hatful , mess , mickle [Archaic] , mountain , muckle , passel [American] , peck , pot , deal , flock , heap , mint , quite a little , raft , sight , slew , spate , stack , tidy sum , wad , good deal , great deal , lot , mass , pile [Informal] , plenty )
   (often followed by 'of') a large number, amount or extent
    A batch of letters
   a batch of letters
    A deal of trouble
   a deal of trouble
    A lot of money
   a lot of money
    He made a mint on the stock market
   he made a mint on the stock market
    See the rest of the winners in our huge passel of photos
   see the rest of the winners in our huge passel of photos
    It must have cost plenty
   it must have cost plenty
    A slew of journalists
   a slew of journalists
    A wad of money
   a wad of money
   

verb

1. Make a mess of or create disorder in  ( mess , mess up )
   make a mess of or create disorder in
    He messed up his room
   He messed up his room
   
2. (military) eat in a mess hall  ( mess )
   (military) eat in a mess hall