Bemingles

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Causing to become mixed or intertwined in a convoluted manner; creating a confused or chaotic blend of elements; involving the act of intermingling various components in an intricate fashion
2. Leading to a state of confusion through mixing disparate items; resulting in a tangled entanglement of distinct elements; engaging in the process of combining different aspects into a complicated unity
3. Generating a disorderly combination by mingling various factors; producing a complex mixture that obscures distinctions; participating in the act of intermixing in a way that creates confusion

Etymology: "Bemingles" is the third-person singular form of "bemingle," a verb meaning to mix something into confusion. The root is "mingle," which goes back to Middle English "mengen," meaning to mix or blend, and it is this older sense of blending that the verb keeps. The prefix "be-" here carries the sense of "around" or "about," so the verb suggests mingling thoroughly over and around a thing until it becomes tangled. Because "bemingle" is a straightforward combination of a prefix and an existing verb, its history is simple. Its meaning follows the base word closely: where "mingle" describes things coming together, "bemingle" adds the idea of that mixing being thorough, or of leaving something muddled in the process.

Synonyms: mixes, blends, combines, mingles, intermingles

Antonyms: separates, divides, isolates, disentangles, splits