tangle
/ˈtæŋɡl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtæŋɡl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈtaŋ-gəl/ (ame, mw) · /ˈtæŋ.ɡəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtæŋ.ɡəl/ (ame, ipa)
tangle — noun
- tanglesingular
- tanglesplural
1. hair, string, wires, or similar items that are twisted together in a disordered
hair, string, wires, or similar items that are twisted together in a disordered way, forming a messy knot; also, a confused situation that is hard to understand or sort out
Rin spent an hour brushing the tangles out of her long hair after the walk.
collocation: brush tangles out of hair
A messy tangle of old charging cables lay behind Felipe's desk.
The tax forms were such a tangle that Dario asked an accountant for help.
The path was blocked by a dense tangle of bushes and climbing plants.
- order
a tidy, well-arranged state
文法句型
a tangle of [things]
常見錯誤
2. an angry argument or quarrel between two people or groups
an angry argument or quarrel between two people or groups
Aarav got into a tangle with his neighbour over the garden fence.
collocation: get into a tangle with [someone]
The two politicians had a legal tangle that dragged on for months.
collocation: a legal tangle
Gita tried to avoid any tangle with her difficult colleague at work.
The contract dispute turned into a nasty tangle between the two companies.
- agreement
a situation where people share the same view or have settled their differences
文法句型
a tangle with [someone]
用法筆記
Often appears in the phrase 'a tangle with [someone]' or 'get into a tangle'. Less common in formal writing, where 'dispute' or 'conflict' would be preferred.
常見錯誤
tangle — verb
- tanglepresent simple I / you / we / they
- tangles3rd person singular
- tangling-ing form
- tangledpast simple
1. to become twisted together in a messy way, or to cause hair, string, wires, or s
to become twisted together in a messy way, or to cause hair, string, wires, or similar items to become twisted together in a messy way
Strong winds tangled the power lines, cutting off electricity to the town.
transitive: [wind/force] tangles [something]
The more Rin tried to sort the cables, the more they tangled together.
intransitive: [things] tangle together
Felipe's earphone wires tangled around the handle of his bag.
The children tangled the ribbons so badly that nobody could untie them.
- untangle
to separate twisted items and restore order
- straighten
to make something neat and not twisted
文法句型
[something] tangles
[someone] tangles [something]
[something] tangles around [something]
用法筆記
The verb can be used transitively ([someone] tangles [something]) or intransitively ([something] tangles). When the cause is unclear, the intransitive or passive form ('got tangled') is more natural.
常見錯誤
2. to draw someone into a problem or a complicated situation that causes difficulty
to draw someone into a problem or a complicated situation that causes difficulty or worry
Justin got tangled in a dispute between two departments at work.
passive: get tangled in [a dispute/problem]
The mayor was tangled up in a corruption investigation for years.
passive: be tangled up in [an investigation]
Talia warned her brother not to get tangled with the gang members.
The complex contract tangled the startup in obligations it could not meet.
- extricate
to free someone from a difficult situation
文法句型
be tangled in [something]
get tangled in [something]
tangle [someone] in [something]
用法筆記
Most commonly used in the passive voice ('get tangled in' or 'be tangled in'). The active transitive form ('tangle [someone] in [something]') is less frequent but grammatical. The preposition is usually 'in' for situations and 'with' for people.