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Muddle vs Shemozzle - What's the difference?

muddle | shemozzle |

As verbs the difference between muddle and shemozzle

is that muddle is to mix together, to mix up; to confuse while shemozzle is to scarper.

As nouns the difference between muddle and shemozzle

is that muddle is a mixture; a confusion; a garble while shemozzle is a state of chaos or confusion; a muddle.

muddle

English

Verb

(muddl)
  • To mix together, to mix up; to confuse.
  • Young children tend to muddle their words.
  • To mash slightly for use in a cocktail.
  • He muddled the mint sprigs in the bottom of the glass.
  • To dabble in mud.
  • (Jonathan Swift)
  • To make turbid or muddy.
  • * L'Estrange
  • He did ill to muddle the water.
  • To think and act in a confused, aimless way.
  • To cloud or stupefy; to render stupid with liquor; to intoxicate partially.
  • * Bentley
  • Their old master Epicurus seems to have had his brains so muddled and confounded with them, that he scarce ever kept in the right way.
  • * Arbuthnot
  • often drunk, always muddled
  • To waste or misuse, as one does who is stupid or intoxicated.
  • * Hazlitt
  • They muddle it [money] away without method or object, and without having anything to show for it.

    Derived terms

    * muddler (agent noun) * muddle along * muddle through * muddle up

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A mixture; a confusion; a garble.
  • The muddle of nervous speech he uttered did not have much meaning.

    Derived terms

    * muddle-headed

    shemozzle

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A state of chaos or confusion; a muddle.
  • A quarrel or rumpus.
  • Verb

    (shemozzl)
  • To scarper.
  • References

    * OED 2nd edition 1989 * Macquarie 2nd edition 1991