Category:Tangle

Tan"gle, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tangled; p. pr. & vb. n. Tangling.] Etym: [a frequentative fr. tang seaweed; hence, to twist like Seaweed. See tang seaweed, and cf. Tangle, n.]

1. To unite or knit together confusedly; to interweave or interlock, As threads, so as to make it difficult to unravel the knot; to Entangle; to ravel.

2. To involve; to insnare; to entrap; as, to be tangled in lies. "tangled in amorous nets." Milton. When my simple weakness strays, tangled in forbidden ways. Crashaw.

Tangle Tan"gle, v. i.

Defn: to be entangled or united confusedly; to get in a tangle.

Tangle Tan"gle, n.

1. Etym: [cf. Icel. þöngull. See tang seaweed.] (bot.)

Defn: any large blackish seaweed, especially the laminaria Saccharina. See kelp. Coral and sea fan and tangle, the blooms and the palms of the ocean. C. Kingsley.

2. Etym: [from tangle, v.]

Defn: a knot of threads, or other thing, united confusedly, or so Interwoven as not to be easily disengaged; a snarl; as, hair or yarn In tangles; a tangle of vines and briers. Used also figuratively.

3. pl.

Defn: an instrument consisting essentiallly of an iron bar to which Are attached swabs, or bundles of frayed rope, or other similar Substances, -- used to capture starfishes, sea urchins, and other Similar creatures living at the bottom of the sea. Blue tangle. (bot.)See Dangleberry. -- tangle picker (zoöl.), the turnstone. [prov. Eng.]