entangle

• entangel , intangle

From Middle English entanglen (“to involve in difficulty”, “to embarrass”). Equivalent to en- +‎ tangle.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɪnˈtaŋ.ɡəl/,^[1][2][3] IPA^(key): /ɛnˈtaŋ.ɡəl/,

  • Audio (Southern England):

    (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɪnˈtæŋ.ɡəl/,^{[4][1][5][6][2][3]} /ɛnˈtaŋ.ɡəl/^[6]

entangle (third-person singular simple present entangles, present participle entangling, simple past and past participle entangled)

1. (transitive) To tangle up; to twist or interweave in such a manner as not to be easily separated.

   The dolphins became entangled in a fishing net.

2. (transitive) To involve in such complications as to render extrication difficult.
3. (transitive, figuratively) To ensnare.

   Synonyms: perplex, bewilder, puzzle

   • 1842, Alfred Tennyson, “Madeleine”, in Poems. , volume I, London: Edward Moxon, , →OCLC, stanza 3, page 19:

     But when I turn away, / Thou, willing me to stay, / Wooest not, nor vainly wranglest; / But, looking fixedly the while, / All my bounding heart entanglest, / In a golden-netted smile; […]

4. (transitive) To involve in difficulties or embarrassments; to embarrass, puzzle, or distract by adverse or perplexing circumstances, interests, demands, etc.; to hamper; to bewilder.

• disentangle

• entanglement
• entangler
• entangling

• “entangle”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “entangle”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

• entangel