Origin of muddle

1540–50; mud + -le; cognate with Middle Dutch moddelen to muddy

OTHER WORDS FROM muddle

mud·dled·ness, mud·dle·ment, noun mud·dling·ly, adverb pre·mud·dle, noun, verb (used with object), pre·mud·dled, pre·mud·dling. un·mud·dled, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for muddle through (1 of 2)

muddle through

verb

(intr, adverb) mainly British to succeed in some undertaking in spite of lack of organization

British Dictionary definitions for muddle through (2 of 2)

muddle
/ (ˈmʌdəl) /

verb (tr)

(often foll by up) to mix up (objects, items, etc); jumble
to confuse
to make (water) muddy or turbulent
US to mix or stir (alcoholic drinks, etc)

noun

a state of physical or mental confusion

Derived forms of muddle

Word Origin for muddle

C16: perhaps from Middle Dutch moddelen to make muddy

Idioms and Phrases with muddle through

muddle through

Blunder through something, manage but awkwardly, as in The choir never knows how to line up, but we muddle through somehow. [Early 1900s]