em·broil

[em-broil]
verb (used with object)
1.
to bring into discord or conflict; involve in contention or strife.
2.
to throw into confusion; complicate.

Origin:
1595–1605; < Middle French embrouiller, equivalent to em- em-1 + brouiller to broil2

em·broil·er, noun
em·broil·ment, noun
un·em·broiled, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To embroil
Collins
World English Dictionary
embroil (ɪmˈbrɔɪl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
vb
1.  to involve (a person, oneself, etc) in trouble, conflict, or argument
2.  to throw (affairs) into a state of confusion or disorder; complicate; entangle
 
[C17: from French embrouiller, from brouiller to mingle, confuse]
 
em'broiler
 
n
 
em'broilment
 
n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
00:10
Embroil is one of our favorite verbs.
So is skedaddle. Does it mean:
chat, to converse
to run away hurriedly; flee.
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

embroil
c.1600, from Fr. embrouillier (cognate with It. imbrogliare), from en- "in" + brouiller "confuse," from O.Fr. brooillier (see broil (2)). Sense of "involve in a quarrel" is first attested c.1610.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Example sentences
Such a situation could embroil countries in battles over what should and should not appear.
Those employees can, by actions within the scope of their employment, embroil the corporation in serious legal difficulties.
It is a lively situation in which to embroil a spectator and the breath comes pleasantly fast while it is being resolved.
Failure to do so would embroil the government in court for years.
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT