Tangle vs Disarray - What's the difference?

Tangle is a related term of disarray.

In lang=en terms the difference between tangle and disarray

is that tangle is to catch and hold while disarray is to take off the dress of; to unrobe.

As verbs the difference between tangle and disarray

is that tangle is to become mixed together or intertwined while disarray is to throw into disorder; to break the array of.

As nouns the difference between tangle and disarray

is that tangle is a tangled twisted mass or tangle can be any large type of seaweed, especially a species of laminaria while disarray is want of array or regular order; disorder; confusion.

tangle

English

(wikipedia tangle)

Etymology 1

Origin uncertain; apparently a variant form of (tagle).

Verb

(tangl)

to become mixed together or intertwined

Her hair was tangled from a day in the wind.

to be forced into some kind of situation

to enter into an argument, conflict, dispute, or fight

Don't tangle with someone three times your size.

He tangled with the law.

to mix together or intertwine

to catch and hold

* Milton

Tangled in amorous nets.

* Crashaw

When my simple weakness strays, / Tangled in forbidden ways.

Synonyms

* (to become mixed together or intertwined) dishevel, tousle * (to be forced into some kind of situation) drag, drag in, embroil, sweep, sweep up * argue, conflict, dispute, fight * (to mix together or intertwine) entangle, knot, mat, snarl * (to catch and hold) entrap

Antonyms

* (to mix together or intertwine) untangle, unsnarl

Noun

(en noun)

A tangled twisted mass.

A complicated or confused state or condition.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-08-03, volume=408, issue=8847, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= Boundary problems , passage=Economics is a messy discipline: too fluid to be a science, too rigorous to be an art. Perhaps it is fitting that economists’ most-used metric, gross domestic product (GDP), is a tangle too. GDP measures the total value of output in an economic territory. Its apparent simplicity explains why it is scrutinised down to tenths of a percentage point every month.}}

An argument, conflict, dispute, or fight.

(mathematics) A region of the projection of a knot such that the knot crosses its perimeter exactly four times.

Synonyms

* (tangled twisted mass) knot, mess, snarl * (complicated or confused state or condition) maze, snarl * argument, conflict, dispute, fight

Etymology 2

Of Scandinavian origin; compare Norwegian tongul, Faroese tongul, Icelandic .

Noun

(en noun)

Any large type of seaweed, especially a species of Laminaria .

* 1849 , , In Memoriam , 10:

Than if with thee the roaring wells / Should gulf him fathom-deep in brine; / And hands so often clasped in mine, / Should toss with tangle and with shells.

(in the plural) An instrument consisting essentiallly of an iron bar to which are attached swabs, or bundles of frayed rope, or other similar substances, used to capture starfishes, sea urchins, and other similar creatures living at the bottom of the sea.

External links

* * *

Anagrams

* English ergative verbs

disarray

English

Verb

(en verb)

To throw into disorder; to break the array of.

* Fenton

Who with fiery steeds / Oft disarrayed the foes in battle ranged.

To take off the dress of; to unrobe.

* Spenser

So, as she bade, the witch they disarrayed .

Antonyms

* array

Noun

(en noun)

Want of array or regular order; disorder; confusion.

* {{quote-news

, year=2012 , date=April 15 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Tottenham 1-5 Chelsea , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Tottenham pushed forward in an attempt to complete the recovery - but only succeeded in leaving themselves wide open to Chelsea's attacks and Redknapp's side ended in total disarray .}}

Confused attire; undress; dishabille.

Synonyms

* See also