Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- transitive verb To loosen and let fall (hair or clothing) in disarray.
- transitive verb To disarrange the hair or clothing of.
- transitive verb To throw into disorder.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To cause to have a disordered or neglected appearance; disarrange: said originally of the hair, but now often extended to the dress.
- To disorder or disarrange the hair or dress of; derange with regard to any covering of loose materials.
- To be spread or to hang in disorder, as the hair.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- transitive verb To suffer (the hair) to hang loosely or disorderly; to spread or throw (the hair) in disorder; -- used chiefly in the passive participle.
- transitive verb To spread loosely or disorderly.
- intransitive verb rare To be spread in disorder or hang negligently, as the hair.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- verb transitive To throw into disorder;
upheave . - verb transitive To disarrange or loosen (hair or clothing).
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb disarrange or rumple; dishevel
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
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Examples
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September 3rd, 2003 kerfuffle: from dishevel, ruffle.
September 3rd, 2003 2003
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Once the tedious papers had been signed, Gloria Englehart, Rebecca's agent, whose styled raven hair was so perfectly molded that not even a major replaneting of the solar system could dishevel it, announced, "Congratulations, you're my newest homeowner."
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All the way along the valley people were threading, strangely insignificant, among the grey dishevel of stone and rock, like insects.
The Captain's Doll 2003
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Once the tedious papers had been signed, Gloria Englehart, Rebecca's agent, whose styled raven hair was so perfectly molded that not even a major replaneting of the solar system could dishevel it, announced, "Congratulations, you're my newest homeowner."
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She reached up to playfully dishevel his shining dark hair with the ruffle of bangs that started over his brow.
Vulcan’s Glory D. C. Fontana 1990
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She reached up to playfully dishevel his shining dark hair with the ruffle of bangs that started over his brow.
Vulcan’s Glory D. C. Fontana 1990
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She reached up to playfully dishevel his shining dark hair with the ruffle of bangs that started over his brow.
Vulcan’s Glory D. C. Fontana 1990
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It was accounted an immodest thing for women to dishevel and unloose their hair publicly: The priest unlooseth the hairs of the women suspected of adultery, when she was to be tried by the bitter water, which was done for greater disgrace.
From the Talmud and Hebraica 1602-1675 1979
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Rich chaplets (1) these were, that the winds might not dishevel their comely hair, and this is true i 'faith.
The Nibelungenlied Daniel Bussier Shumway
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The doctor looked more dishevel [l] ed than his wife had ever seen him before, even on camping trips.
Manuscript Draft: Walter Reed: Doctor in Uniform, by Laura Wood, [19 -- ] 1943
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