pell-mell
or pell·mell
[ pel-mel ]
/ ˈpɛlˈmɛl /
adverb
in disorderly, headlong haste; in a recklessly hurried manner.
in a confused or jumbled mass, crowd, manner, etc.: The crowd rushed pell-mell into the store when the doors opened.
adjective
indiscriminate; disorderly; confused: a pell-mell dash after someone.
overhasty or precipitate; rash: pell-mell spending.
noun
a confused or jumbled mass, crowd, etc.
disorderly, headlong haste.
Origin of pell-mell
1570–80; < Middle French
pelemele, Old French
pesle mesle, rhyming compound based on
mesler to mix. See
meddle
Words nearby pell-mell
Example sentences from the Web for pell-mell
British Dictionary definitions for pell-mell
pell-mell
/ (ˈpɛlˈmɛl) /
adverb
in a confused headlong rush
the hounds ran pell-mell into the yard
in a disorderly manner
the things were piled pell-mell in the room
adjective
disordered; tumultuous
a pell-mell rush for the exit
noun
disorder; confusion
Word Origin for pell-mell
C16: from Old French
pesle-mesle, jingle based on
mesler to
meddle
Cultural definitions for pell-mell
pell-mell
In a confused, disorderly manner: “After the assembly, the students ran pell-mell from the auditorium.”