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dishevelled

 - 5 dictionary results

di⋅shev⋅el

  [di-shev-uhl]
Use dishevelled in a Sentence
–verb (used with object), -eled, -el⋅ing or (especially British) -elled, -el⋅ling.
1. to let down, as hair, or wear or let hang in loose disorder, as clothing.
2. to cause untidiness and disarray in: The wind disheveled the papers on the desk.
Origin:
1590–1600; back formation from disheveled

Related forms:
di⋅shev⋅el⋅ment, noun

di⋅shev⋅eled

  [di-shev-uhld]
–adjective
1. hanging loosely or in disorder; unkempt: disheveled hair.
2. untidy; disarranged: a disheveled appearance.
Also, especially British, di⋅shev⋅elled.

Origin:
1375–1425; late ME discheveled < OF deschevele, ptp. of descheveler to dishevel the hair, equiv. to des- dis- 1 + -cheveler, deriv. of chevel a hair < L capillus

Synonyms:
2. rumpled, messy, slovenly, sloppy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To dishevelled
di·shev·el   (dĭ-shěv'əl)   
tr.v.   di·shev·eled or di·shev·elled, di·shev·el·ing or di·shev·el·ling, di·shev·els

    1. To loosen and let fall (hair or clothing) in disarray.

    2. To disarrange the hair or clothing of.

  2. To throw into disorder.


[Back-formation from disheveled.]
di·shev'el·ment n.
di·shev·eled or di·shev·elled   (dĭ-shěv'əld)   
adj.  

  1. Being in loose disarray; unkempt, as hair or clothing.

  2. Marked by disorder; untidy: a disheveled pile of books on the library table.


[Middle English discheveled, from Old French deschevele, past participle of descheveler, to disarrange the hair : des-, apart; see dis- + chevel, hair (from Latin capillus).]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

dishevel 
c.1381, from O.Fr. deschevele, pp. of descheveler "to disarrange the hair," from des- "apart" + chevel "hair," from L. capillus "hair."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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