Mangle
/ˈmæŋɡəl/
verbnounB2
Definition
As a verb, mangle means to damage something very badly, usually by crushing, twisting, or tearing it so it loses its original shape. It often describes accidents or strong forces that harm objects or even people. As a noun, a mangle is an old machine that presses wet clothes to remove water before drying.
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See It in Action
Verb: To badly damage by crushing, tearing, or twisting
- •The car was mangled in the accident.
- •He mangled the paper by crumpling it too hard.
- •The machine mangled the metal sheet beyond repair.
Noun: A machine used to press wet clothes and remove water
- •She used the mangle to squeeze water out of the laundry.
- •Old houses often had a mangle near the washing area.
- •The mangle helped dry clothes faster by pressing out the water.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "mangle" like "break" (A1 word), but much stronger—something is not just broken but badly crushed or torn
- ✓Picture a piece of paper caught in a machine and coming out ripped and twisted, not just folded or crumpled
- ✓It's the feeling of seeing something you care about badly damaged, like a favorite shirt torn in a washing machine
- ✓Sounds like "mangle" → imagine a "man" tangled in ropes, twisted and hurt, to remember the idea of twisting and damage
- ✓Think of old laundry rooms with big rollers squeezing water out of clothes—that machine is called a mangle
- ✓NOT like "scratch" (small surface damage); mangle means deep, serious damage
- ✓NOT like "crush" (pressing down), mangle can also mean twisting and tearing, not just pressing
- ✓As a noun, mangle is a tool that works by pressing, different from a washing machine that just cleans
Try Other Words
- •Crush: to press or squeeze something hard until it is damaged (Use when the damage is mostly from pressure)
- •Tear: to pull something apart or make a hole by force (Use when the damage is from ripping)
- •Damage: general harm or injury to something (Use in general contexts without detail of how)
- •Wring: to twist something to remove water (Use especially for clothes or fabric, similar to the noun mangle’s function)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix; root "mangle" itself)
- •Etymology: From Old English "manglian," meaning to crush or mutilate
- •Historical development: Originally used for physical damage or mutilation; later also the name of a laundry tool
- •Modern usage: Used mostly as a verb to describe severe damage; as a noun, less common but still known for the laundry machine
Reflect & Connect
•What kinds of situations or objects would you describe as "mangled"? Can you think of examples from news or stories?
•How does the word "mangle" help you understand the difference between small damage and very bad damage?
Fill in the blanks
1.The car was mangled ___ the crash, showing how strong the impact was.
2.When clothes are put in the mangle, the machine ___ the water out by pressing hard.
3.Unlike a simple tear, to mangle something means it is ___ and twisted badly.
4.He accidentally mangled the letter by ___ it in the door.
5.The workers used the mangle to ___ the wet sheets before hanging them to dry.
6.If something is only a little damaged, you wouldn’t say it’s mangled, but if it’s ___ destroyed, you would.
7.The metal was mangled so badly that it was impossible to ___ it back to its original shape.