v., -dled, -dling, -dles.

v.tr.

1. To make turbid or muddy.
2. To mix confusedly; jumble.
3. To confuse or befuddle (the mind), as with alcohol. See synonyms at confuse.
4. To mismanage or bungle.
5. To stir or mix (a drink) gently.

v.intr.

To think, act, or proceed in a confused or aimless manner: muddled along through my high-school years.

n.

1. A disordered condition; a mess or jumble.
2. Mental confusion.

phrasal verb:

muddle through

1. To push on to a favorable outcome in a disorganized way.

[Possibly from obsolete Dutch moddelen, to make water muddy, from Middle Dutch, frequentative of *modden, to make muddy, from modde, mud.]

muddler mud'dler n.

To mash or crush ingredients with a spoon or a muddler (a rod with a flattened end). Usually identified with the preparation of mixed drinks, such as when mint leaves and sugar are muddled together for a mint julep.

also muddle through

verb

1. To put out of proper order: derange, disarrange, disarray, disorder, disorganize, disrupt, disturb, jumble, mess up, mix up, tumble, unsettle, upset. See order/disorder.
2. To put into total disorder: ball up, confuse, disorder, jumble, mess up, scramble, snarl². Slang snafu. Idioms: play havoc with. See order/disorder.
3. To cause to be unclear in mind or intent: addle, befuddle, bewilder, confound, confuse, discombobulate, dizzy, fuddle, jumble, mix up, mystify, perplex, puzzle. Informal throw. Idioms: make one's headreelswimwhirl. See clear/unclear, feelings.
4. To harm irreparably through inept handling; make a mess: ball up, blunder, boggle, botch, bungle, foul up, fumble, gum up, mess up, mishandle, mismanage, muff, spoil. Informal bollix up, muck up. Slang blow¹, goof up, louse up, screw up, snafu. Idioms: make a muck of. See correct/incorrect, help/harm/harmless.
5. To proceed or perform in an unsteady, faltering manner: blunder, bumble¹, bungle, flounder, fudge, fumble, limp, shuffle, stagger, stumble. See thrive/fail/exist.

phrasal verb - muddle through

To progress or perform adequately, especially in difficult circumstances: do, fare, fend, get along, get by, manage, shift. Informal make out. Idioms: make do, make shift,, thrive/fail/exist.

noun

1. A lack of order or regular arrangement: chaos, clutter, confusedness, confusion, derangement, disarrangement, disarray, disorder, disorderedness, disorderliness, disorganization, jumble, mess, mix-up, muss, scramble, topsy-turviness, tumble. Slang snafu. See order/disorder.
2. A ruinous state of disorder: botch, foul-up, mess, shambles. Informal hash. Slang screwup, snafu. See correct/incorrect, order/disorder.
3. A stunned or bewildered condition: befuddlement, bewilderedness, bewilderment, daze, discombobulation, fog, mystification, perplexity, puzzlement, stupefaction, stupor, trance. See awareness/unawareness.

Blunder through something, manage but awkwardly, as in The choir never knows how to line up, but we muddle through somehow. [Early 1900s]

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n

Definition: confused state
Antonyms: enlightenment, order, organization

v

Definition: confuse, disorganize
Antonyms: clear up, educate, enlighten, explain, explicate, order, organize

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IN BRIEF: To confuse or cause to be confused.

Do not muddle the recipe or it will turn out badly.

Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - forkludre, lave rod i
v. intr. - pusle, nusse (med), fjolle rundt
n. - roderi, forvirring

idioms:

• muddle along    klare sig på bedste beskub
• muddle through    klare sig igennem, så godt som man kan

Nederlands (Dutch)
warboel, er een potje van maken, verwarren, troebel maken

Français (French)
v. tr. - semer la pagaille dans, emmêler (de la ficelle), embrouiller les idées de, s'embrouiller dans qch (des dates)
v. intr. - se débrouiller tant bien que mal, se tirer d'affaire
n. - pagaille, embrouillamini, confusion, malentendu

idioms:

• muddle along    se débrouiller tant bien que mal, se tirer d'affaire/ s'en tirer tant bien que mal
• muddle something up    semer la pagaille dans des (papiers), emmêler (une ficelle)
• muddle through    se débrouiller tant bien que mal, se tirer d'affaire/s'en tirer tant bien que mal

Deutsch (German)
n. - Durcheinander
v. - durcheinanderbringen

idioms:

• muddle along    vor sich hin wursteln
• muddle something up    durcheinanderbringen, verwirren
• muddle through    (ugs.) sich durchwursteln

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - μπέρδεμα, αναστάτωση, κομφούζιο (κν. θαλάσσωμα, σαλάτα)
v. - μπερδεύω, μπουρδουκλώνω, συσκοτίζω, θολώνω, κάνω άνω-κάτω

idioms:

• muddle along    προχωρώ κουτσά στραβά, εντελώς ανοργάνωτα
• muddle through    κουτσοπορεύομαι, κουτσοκαταφέρνω

Italiano (Italian)
pasticciare, confusione

idioms:

• muddle along    tirare avanti alla meglio
• muddle through    cavarsela alla meno peggio

Português (Portuguese)
n. - confusão (f)
v. - confundir-se

idioms:

• muddle along    progresso casual
• muddle through    progresso por esforço

Русский (Russian)
беспорядок, путаница, смешанное общество, путать, портить, копаться, смущать, мутить

idioms:

• muddle along    действовать наобум
• muddle through    кое-как довести дело до конца

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - embrollar, confundir, aturdir, dejar confuso o perplejo
v. intr. - hacerse un lío, embrollar las cosas, hacer algo torpemente, salir del paso a duras penas
n. - desorden, confusión, embrollo

idioms:

• muddle along    ir tirando
• muddle something up    no distinguir algo de otra cosa
• muddle through    salir del paso, arreglárselas

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - röra, virrighet
v. - fördärva, förvirra, förväxla, slarva bort, vimsa, rota

中文（简体） (Chinese (Simplified))
混合, 使咬字不清晰, 使微醉, 胡乱对付, 困惑, 混浊状态

idioms:

• muddle along    得过且过, 混日子
• muddle through    敷衍过去, 敷衍了事

中文（繁體） (Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 混合, 使咬字不清晰, 使微醉
v. intr. - 胡亂對付
n. - 困惑, 混濁狀態

idioms:

• muddle along    得過且過, 混日子
• muddle through    敷衍過去, 敷衍了事

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 어리둥절하게 하다, 섞다, 망치다, 허비하다
v. intr. - 되는대로 생각하다, 멍청하게 되다
n. - 혼란[상태], 당황

idioms:

• muddle along    그럭저럭 해나가다
• muddle through    그럭저럭 해내다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - ごちゃ混ぜにする, まごつかせる, かき混ぜる, 混乱させる, 濁らせる, 浪費する
n. - 混乱

idioms:

• muddle along    お茶を濁してやっていく
• muddle through    なんとかやり遂げる

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) لخبطه (فعل) يلخبط عقله‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮בלבל, קלקל, שיבש, ערבב‬
v. intr. - ‮עשה מתוך בלבול‬
n. - ‮בלבול, מבוכה, ערבוביה, אי-סדר‬

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