with obj.
1- bring into a disordered or confusing state把…弄乱; 使…难以理解：
they were muddling up the cards.
他们正在把牌洗乱。
1.1
- confuse (a person or their thoughts)使糊涂。
1.2
- no obj., with adverbial busy oneself in a confused and ineffective way懵懵懂懂地白忙：
he was muddling about in the kitchen.
他正在厨房里瞎忙一气。
1.3
- US mix (a drink) or stir (an ingredient) into a drink〈美〉调制（饮料）; 调（酒）。
usu. in sing.
1- an untidy and disorganized state or collection杂乱无章的状态; 乱七八糟的一堆（东西）：
a muddle of plasticine, string, and electric flex
乱七八糟的一堆橡皮泥、绳子和电线
the finances were in a muddle
财务管理杂乱无章
mass noun an admirable chairman, she cut through confusion and muddle.她一举清除了混乱状态, 这样的董事长令人钦佩。
1.1
- a mistake arising from or resulting in confusion混乱导致的错误; 导致混乱的错误：
a bureaucratic muddle.
官僚作风导致的混乱。
派生词
muddlingly
adverbmuddly
adjective词源
late Middle English （in the sense 'wallow in mud'）： perhaps from Middle Dutch moddelen, frequentative of modden 'dabble in mud'; compare with MUD. The sense 'confuse' was initially associated with alcoholic drink （late 17th cent.）， giving rise to 'busy oneself in a confused way' and 'jumble up' （mid 19th cent.）.
短语动词
muddle along/through
- cope more or less satisfactorily despite lack of expertise, planning, or equipment差强人意地应付, 设法应付：
students are often left to muddle along.
学生们经常被丢在一边自己应付。
muddle something up
- confuse two or more things with each other混淆：
the words seemed to have got muddled up.
这些词似乎被混淆了。