tan·gle

noun

/ˈtæŋɡl/

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 Dictionary
adjective
- confused
- dense
- thick
- …
… of tangles
- mass
verb + tangle
- get in/into
- sort out
- unravel
- …
preposition
- in a tangle
- tangle of
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.他在念她的名字时陷入了混乱。
Oxford Collocations Dictionary
adjective
- confused
- dense
- thick
- …
… of tangles
- mass
verb + tangle
- get in/into
- sort out
- unravel
- …
preposition
- in a tangle
- tangle of
(informal) a disagreement or fight纠纷；不和；争执；打架Topics Opinion and argumentc2

Word OriginMiddle English (in the sense ‘entangle, catch in a tangle’): probably of Scandinavian origin and related to Swedish dialect taggla ‘disarrange’.

tan·gle

verb

/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

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’.