[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/mangle/)

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# mangle

noun (a mangle, mangles); verb (mangle, mangles, mangled, mangling)

«mangle» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. (noun) A machine with two rollers, turned by a handle, used in the past to squeeze water out of wet washing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mangle/#m1)
2. (verb) To crush, tear or damage something badly so it is out of shape. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mangle/#m2)
3. (verb) To spoil words, music or a story by saying or doing them badly: «He mangled the French phrase.» [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mangle/#m3)

### In the lessons

In history lessons, washing day before washing machines meant scrubbing, boiling and putting clothes through the mangle. In The Wind in the Willows, the washerwoman's world of tubs and mangles is part of Toad's disguise. Safety: machines can mangle fingers — keep hands away from moving parts. In stories, a mangled car or bike shows a bad crash.

### Examples

- Grandma used to put the sheets through the mangle. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mangle/#x1)
- Turn the handle and the mangle squeezes out the water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mangle/#x2)
- The bike was mangled in the crash. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mangle/#x3)
- The dog mangled my slipper. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mangle/#x4)
- He mangled the words of the song. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mangle/#x5)
- Keep your fingers away from the rollers of the mangle. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mangle/#x6)

### Note

Verb past mangled. Noun is old-fashioned; the verb is common. Similar: crush, wreck; for words: garble, murder (informal).

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «mangle» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/mangle/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«mangle» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/mangle.html) on Mova free.