Refine this word faster
Embroil
Definitions
- 1 A state of confusion or uproar; a commotion, a disturbance; also, a quarrel. obsolete, transitive
- 2 A state of anxiety or disturbance of the mind. obsolete, transitive
- 1 To bring (something) into a state of confusion or uproar; to complicate, to confuse, to jumble. transitive
"Rumor next and Chance, / And Tumult and Confuſion all imbroild, / And Diſcord with a thouſand various mouths."
- 2 To set (something) on fire; to burn (something). obsolete, rare, transitive
"Indeed if vve vvill be building our Babels, and thus aſſault Omnipotence, 'tis but juſt vve ſhould have our language confounded, and that that knovvledge for vvhich vve boldly attempt to rifle Gods cabinet, ſhould like the Coal from the Altar, ſerve only to embroil and conſume the ſacrilegious invaders."
- 3 force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of action wordnet
- 4 To cause (someone) to be drawn into or involved in a difficult situation or state of contention. transitive
"Avoid him. He will embroil you in his fights."
Etymology
PIE word *h₁én The verb is borrowed from French embrouiller (“to entangle”), from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in; into’)) + brouiller (“to confuse, mix up”) (ultimately from Vulgar Latin *brodiculāre, from *brodicāre, from Late Latin brodium (“broth, stew; mixture”), from Frankish *broþ (“broth”), from Proto-Germanic *bruþą (“stock, broth”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrewh₁- (“to boil; to brew”)). The noun is derived from the verb. Cognates * Italian imbrogliare * Spanish embrollar
PIE word *h₁én The verb is borrowed from French embrouiller (“to entangle”), from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in; into’)) + brouiller (“to confuse, mix up”) (ultimately from Vulgar Latin *brodiculāre, from *brodicāre, from Late Latin brodium (“broth, stew; mixture”), from Frankish *broþ (“broth”), from Proto-Germanic *bruþą (“stock, broth”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰrewh₁- (“to boil; to brew”)). The noun is derived from the verb. Cognates * Italian imbrogliare * Spanish embrollar
From em- (a variant of en- (intensifying prefix)) + broil (“to expose to great heat; (obsolete) to burn”) (from Late Middle English broilen, brulen (“to burn; to scorch, singe; (cooking) to broil, grill”); further etymology uncertain, possibly from Old French bruler, bruillir, brusler (“to burn”) (modern French brûler), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰerw-, *bʰrew- (“to boil; to brew”)).
See also for "embroil"
Next best steps
Mini challenge
Unscramble this word: embroil