mangle

¹man·gle

verb \ˈmaŋ-gəl\

man·gledman·gling \-g(ə-)liŋ\

Definition of MANGLE

transitive verb

1

:  to injure with deep disfiguring wounds by cutting, tearing, or crushing <people … mangled by sharks — V. G. Heiser>

2

:  to spoil, injure, or make incoherent especially through ineptitude <a story mangled beyond recognition>

— man·gler \-g(ə-)lər\ noun

Origin of MANGLE

Middle English, from Anglo-French mangler, mahangler, perhaps from mahaigner to maim — more at mayhem

First Known Use: 15th century

Rhymes with MANGLE

angle, bangle, dangle, jangle, mangel, spangle, strangle, tangle, wangle, wrangle

²mangle

noun

: an old-fashioned machine used to squeeze water out of wet clothes after they have been washed

Full Definition of MANGLE

:  a machine for ironing laundry by passing it between heated rollers

Origin of MANGLE

Dutch mangel, from German, from Middle High German, diminutive of mange mangonel, mangle, from Latin manganum

First Known Use: 1696

³mangle

verb

man·gledman·gling \-g(ə-)liŋ\

Definition of MANGLE

transitive verb

:  to press or smooth (as damp linen) with a mangle

— man·gler \-g(ə-)lər\ noun

First Known Use of MANGLE

circa 1775