mangle

C2 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˈmæŋ.ɡ(ə)l/ See IPA manual

Freq #45789

Meanings

1

verb
To damage something badly by crushing, tearing, or twisting it.

The car was completely mangled in the crash.
2

verb
To spoil something by doing it badly, especially words or music.

The nervous singer mangled the national anthem.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to damage something badly... cut upmaul mutilate

2 verb · to spoil something by doing... murder

Word family

Forms mangledmanglesmangling

Derived forms bemanglemanglemanmanglementmanglinglymingle-manglemismangleunmangle

Etymology

Ca. 1700, from Dutch mangel, from Early Modern German Mangel (15th c.), enhanced form (by analogy with other tool names in -el) of Middle High German mange, from Medieval Latin manga, manganum, from Ancient Greek μάγγανον (mánganon). Doublet of mangonel.

mangel Dutch Mangel German mange gmh manga la-med μάγγανον Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# mangle

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈmæŋ.ɡ(ə)l/
**Frequency rank:** 45789

## Meanings
1. To damage something badly by crushing, tearing, or twisting it.
2. To spoil something by doing it badly, especially words or music.

## Examples
- The car was completely mangled in the crash.
- The nervous singer mangled the national anthem.

## Derived Forms
- bemangle
- mangleman
- manglement
- manglingly
- mingle-mangle
- mismangle
- unmangle

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: mangel
- Root: Mangel
- Root: mange
- Root: manga
- Root: μάγγανον

## Etymology
Ca. 1700, from Dutch mangel, from Early Modern German Mangel (15th c.), enhanced form (by analogy with other tool names in -el) of Middle High German mange, from Medieval Latin manga, manganum, from Ancient Greek μάγγανον (mánganon). Doublet of mangonel.

## AI Etymology
Mangle is recorded ca. 1700, from Dutch mangel, from Early Modern German Mangel (15th c.), enhanced form (by analogy with other tool names in -el) of Middle High German mange, from Medieval Latin manga, manganum, from Ancient Greek μάγγανον (mánganon). Doublet of mangonel. Important recorded forms include mangel (Dutch), Mangel (German), mange (gmh), manga (la-med), and μάγγανον (Ancient Greek). Current senses include to damage something badly by crushing, tearing, or twisting it and to spoil something by doing it badly, especially words or music. The wider family includes derived forms such as bemangle, mangleman, manglement, manglingly, and mingle-mangle.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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