jumble

/ˈdʒʌm.bəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdʒʌm.bəl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈjəm-bəl/ (ame, mw) · /ˈdʒʌmbl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈdʒʌmbl/ (ame, ipa)

jumble — noun

1. a messy collection where different objects, emotions, or thoughts are all mixed

1.名詞B2
釋義

a messy collection where different objects, emotions, or thoughts are all mixed together, or the confusion that results.

例句

The desk was a jumble of bills, keys, and school notes.

a jumble of + plural nouns

After the argument, Mia's thoughts were a jumble all afternoon.

同義詞
  • mess

    the everyday word, often with a stronger idea of dirt or disorder

  • muddle

    often focuses more on confused thinking or planning than on physical objects

  • hodgepodge

    more playful and often used for an odd mixture of styles or ideas

反義詞
  • order

    suggests things are arranged clearly and properly

文法句型

a jumble of + plural noun

be in a jumble

用法筆記

Often followed by of when you name the mixed things. Distinguish from noun sense 2, which refers to second-hand goods at a jumble sale.

常見錯誤

❌The desk was very jumble.
✅The desk was a jumble.
💡jumble is a noun here, not an adjective.
❌My ideas were in jumble.
✅My ideas were in a jumble.
💡this set phrase normally needs the article.

2. second-hand goods collected so they can be sold at a community jumble sale.

2.名詞C2
釋義

second-hand goods collected so they can be sold at a community jumble sale.

例句

Volunteers washed the jumble before the church jumble sale opened.

British usage with jumble sale

Children searched the jumble for skates, comics, and warm hats.

同義詞
  • second-hand goods

    neutral and broader; not limited to charity sales

  • used items

    plain everyday wording for things that belonged to someone else before

文法句型

sort the jumble

price the jumble

用法筆記

Used in British English and usually treated as a mass noun. It refers to the goods for sale, not to the sale event itself.

常見錯誤

❌The school held a jumble.
✅The school held a jumble sale.
💡jumble usually names the goods, not the event.
❌We bought jumble sale.
✅We bought some jumble at the sale.
💡use jumble for the second-hand goods themselves.

jumble — verb