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muddle through

- 3 dictionary results

mud⋅dle

  [muhd-l] verb, -dled, -dling, noun
Use muddle through in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to mix up in a confused or bungling manner; jumble.
2. to cause to become mentally confused.
3. to cause to become confused or stupid with or as if with an intoxicating drink.
4. to make muddy or turbid, as water.
5. to mix or stir (a cocktail, chocolate, etc.).
6. Ceramics. to smooth (clay) by rubbing it on glass.
–verb (used without object)
7. to behave, proceed, or think in a confused or aimless fashion or with an air of improvisation: Some people just muddle along, waiting for their big break.
–noun
8. the state or condition of being muddled, esp. a confused mental state.
9. a confused, disordered, or embarrassing condition; mess.
—Verb phrase
10. muddle through, to achieve a certain degree of success but without much skill, polish, experience, or direction: None of us knew much about staging a variety show, so we just had to muddle through.
Origin:
1540–50; mud + -le; c. MD moddelen to muddy

Related forms:
mud⋅dled⋅ness, mud⋅dle⋅ment, noun
mud⋅dling⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. confuse, botch, bungle, spoil.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To muddle through
mud·dle   (mŭd'l)   
v.   mud·dled, mud·dling, mud·dles

v.   tr.
  1. To make turbid or muddy.
  2. To mix confusedly; jumble.
  3. To confuse or befuddle (the mind), as with alcohol. See Synonyms at confuse.
  4. To mismanage or bungle.
  5. To stir or mix (a drink) gently.
v.   intr.
To think, act, or proceed in a confused or aimless manner: muddled along through my high-school years.
n.  
  1. A disordered condition; a mess or jumble.
  2. Mental confusion.
Phrasal Verb(s):
muddle throughTo push on to a favorable outcome in a disorganized way.

[Possibly from obsolete Dutch moddelen, to make water muddy, from Middle Dutch, frequentative of *modden, to make muddy, from modde, mud.]
mud'dler n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

muddle through

Blunder through something, manage but awkwardly, as in The choir never knows how to line up, but we muddle through somehow. [Early 1900s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Language Translation for : muddle through
Spanish: arreglárselas,
German: sich durchwursteln,
Japanese: なんとか切抜ける
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