Brangled

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Characterized by a state of confusion or a tangled condition, suggesting disorder or an intricate mix of elements
2. Denoting a situation or object that is in disarray and difficult to resolve or separate
3. Describing the act of becoming entangled in a complex web or a riddle that is hard to unravel

Etymology: "Brangled" is the past tense of "brangle," a verb meaning to quarrel or squabble. The verb itself is thought to be related to "branle," a French word for a swaying dance, and the connection is a reasonable guess rather than a settled fact. If it holds, the image is of a noisy, jostling movement that gradually turned into a fight, a sense that fits how the word is used for bickering. The word is informal and mostly heard in British English, where it tends to describe a noisy, ongoing argument rather than a serious dispute.