Crossword Dictionary

What's The Definition Of Ravel?

\Rav"el\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Raveled}or {Ravelled}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Raveling} or {Ravelling}.] [. ravelen, D. rafelen, akin to LG. rebeln, rebbeln, reffeln.] 1. To separate or undo the texture of; to take apart; to untwist; to unweave or unknit; -- often followed by out; as, to ravel a twist; to ravel out a sticking. Sleep, that knits up the raveled sleave of care. --Shak. 2. To undo the intricacies of; to disentangle. 3. To pull apart, as the threads of a texture, and let them fall into a tangled mass; hence, to entangle; to make intricate; to involve. What glory's due to him that could divide Such raveled interests? has he not untied? --Waller. The faith of very many men seems a duty so weak and indifferent, is so often untwisted by violence, or raveled and entangled in weak discourses! --Jer. Taylor.
\Rav"el\, v. i. 1. To become untwisted or unwoven; to be disentangled; to be relieved of intricacy. 2. To fall into perplexity and confusion. [Obs.] Till, by their own perplexities involved, They ravel more, still less resolved. --Milton. 3. To make investigation or search, as by picking out the threads of a woven pattern. [Obs.] The humor of raveling into all these mystical or entangled matters. --Sir W. Temple.