ravel
8 dictionary results for: ravel
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
rav·el 
[rav-uhl] Pronunciation Key verb, -eled, -el·ing or (especially British) -elled, -el·ling, noun
—Related forms
[rav-uhl] Pronunciation Key verb, -eled, -el·ing or (especially British) -elled, -el·ling, noun –verb (used with object)
–verb (used without object)
–noun
| 1. | to disentangle or unravel the threads or fibers of (a woven or knitted fabric, rope, etc.). |
| 2. | to tangle or entangle. |
| 3. | to involve; confuse; perplex. |
| 4. | to make clear; unravel (often fol. by out). |
| 5. | to become disjoined thread by thread or fiber by fiber; fray. |
| 6. | to become tangled. |
| 7. | to become confused or perplexed. |
| 8. | (of a road surface) to lose aggregate. |
| 9. | a tangle or complication. |
[Origin: 1575–85; < D rafelen]
] —Related forms
rav·el·er; especially British, rav·el·ler, noun
rav·el·ly, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
Ra·vel
[ruh-vel; Fr. ra-vel] Pronunciation Key
[ruh-vel; Fr. ra-vel] Pronunciation Key –noun
| Mau·rice Jo·seph
[moh-rees zhaw-zef] Pronunciation Key, 1875–1937, French composer. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| rav·el
(rāv'əl) Pronunciation Key
v. rav·eled also rav·elled, rav·el·ing also rav·el·ling, rav·els also rav·els v. tr.
v. intr.
n.
[Obsolete Dutch ravelen, from ravel, loose thread.] rav'el·er, rav'el·ler n. |
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| Ra·vel
(rə-věl', rä-) Pronunciation Key
French composer of impressionistic operas, ballets, orchestral works, such as Boléro (1928), and piano works, including Le Tombeau de Couperin (1917). |
(Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
ravel
ravel
1582, "to untangle, unwind," also "to become tangled or confused" (1585), from Du. ravelen "to tangle, fray, unweave," from rafel "frayed thread." The seemingly contradictory senses of this word (ravel and unravel are both synonyms and antonyms) are reconciled by its roots in weaving and sewing: as threads become unwoven, they get tangled.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
| ravel | |
noun | |
| 1. | French composer and exponent of Impressionism (1875-1937) |
| 2. | a row of unravelled stitches; "she got a run in her stocking" [syn: run] |
verb | |
| 1. | disentangle; "can you unravel the mystery?" [ant: knot] |
| 2. | tangle or complicate; "a ravelled story" [ant: unknot] |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Ravel
Rav"el\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Raveledor Ravelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Raveling or Ravelling.] [. ravelen, D. rafelen, akin to LG. rebeln, rebbeln, reffeln.]1. To separate or undo the texture of; to take apart; to untwist; to unweave or unknit; -- often followed by out; as, to ravel a twist; to ravel out a sticking. Sleep, that knits up the raveled sleave of care. --Shak. 2. To undo the intricacies of; to disentangle. 3. To pull apart, as the threads of a texture, and let them fall into a tangled mass; hence, to entangle; to make intricate; to involve. What glory's due to him that could divide Such raveled interests? has he not untied? --Waller. The faith of very many men seems a duty so weak and indifferent, is so often untwisted by violence, or raveled and entangled in weak discourses! --Jer. Taylor.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Ravel
Rav"el\, v. i. 1. To become untwisted or unwoven; to be disentangled; to be relieved of intricacy. 2. To fall into perplexity and confusion. [Obs.] Till, by their own perplexities involved, They ravel more, still less resolved. --Milton. 3. To make investigation or search, as by picking out the threads of a woven pattern. [Obs.] The humor of raveling into all these mystical or entangled matters. --Sir W. Temple.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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