ravel

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to entangle or, conversely, to unravel; a tangle

   The loose thread began to ravel the entire sweater.

Simplified etymology

Ravel was borrowed from Dutch in late Middle English. From its earliest English use it could mean either “to entangle” or “to disentangle,” and this contradictory pair of senses has persisted; ravel and unravel can consequently have the same meaning.

From Dutch ravelen ('to tangle, fray, unweave'), of uncertain further origin; notable as a contronym meaning both to tangle and to untangle.

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