mangle

¹

[mang-guhl]

verb (used with object)

mangled, mangling 

1. to injure severely, disfigure, or mutilate by cutting, slashing, or crushing.

   The coat sleeve was mangled in the gears of the machine.

2. to spoil or ruin; mar badly.

   The story was mangled by a clumsy translation.

   Synonyms: destroy, deface

mangle

²

[mang-guhl]

noun

1. a machine for smoothing or pressing clothes, household linen, etc., by means of heated rollers.

verb (used with object)

mangled, mangling 

1. to smooth or press with a mangle.

2. Metalworking.,  to squeeze (metal plates) between rollers.

mangle

¹

/ ˈmæŋɡəl /

verb

1. to mutilate, disfigure, or destroy by cutting, crushing, or tearing

2. to ruin, spoil, or mar

mangle

²

/ ˈmæŋɡəl /

noun

1. Also called: wringer. a machine for pressing or drying wet textiles, clothes, etc, consisting of two heavy rollers between which the cloth is passed

verb

1. to press or dry in a mangle

Other Word Forms

• mangler noun
• mangled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mangle¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Anglo-French mangler, perhaps dissimilated variant of Old French mangonner “to mangle”; akin to mangonel

Origin of mangle²

1765–75; < Dutch mangel ≪ Late Latin manganum. See mangonel

Word History and Origins

Origin of mangle¹

C14: from Norman French mangler, probably from Old French mahaignier to maim

Origin of mangle²

C18: from Dutch mangel, ultimately from Late Latin manganum. See _mangonel

Synonym Study

See maim.

Example Sentences

His first job as an actor was in Martin McDonagh’s unruly black comedy “The Lieutenant of Inishmore,” with a plot that hinges on a mangled cat.

From Los Angeles Times

But like that film, “Weapons” sees its best, boldest ideas mangled by Cregger’s worst instincts.

From Salon

What remained in the aftermath were corpses too mangled to be identified.

From BBC

“Each body had more than 50 bullet holes. There was blood everywhere. It was like they were mangled,” he said, wincing at the memory.

From Los Angeles Times

On the edge of the Palisades business corridor I saw the mangled spine of a fallen staircase, lying on its side like a length of broken vertebrae.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• bruise 
• contort 
• disfigure 
• distort 
• hack 
• impair 
• lacerate 
• maim 
• maul 
• wreck