shambles
/'ʃæmblz/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A state of great disorder or confusion: "shambles" describes a situation or place that is extremely messy, chaotic, or disorganized.
- A scene of complete destruction or devastation: It can also refer to a place or situation that has been ruined or wrecked.
Usage
- The word "shambles" is almost always used with a singular verb (e.g., , ) despite its "-s" ending. It is commonly used in the phrase "in a shambles" or "a complete shambles."
- It is an informal term used to describe severe messiness or failure.
Examples
- Noun:
- After the party, the living room was a complete shambles.
- The project is in a shambles due to poor planning.
- The company's finances were left in a shambles after the scandal.
Advanced Usage
- "to be a shambles": to be in a state of chaos.
- The negotiations were a shambles from the beginning.
- "to make a shambles of something": to ruin or destroy something completely; to make something very messy.
- The storm made a shambles of the coastal town.
- He made a shambles of his first public speech.
Variants and Related Words
- Shamble (verb): To walk in an awkward, slow, or unsteady way, often dragging the feet.
- The tired hikers shambled back to camp.
- Shambolic (adjective, chiefly British): Chaotic, disorganized.
- The event's planning was utterly shambolic.
Synonyms
- Mess: A dirty or untidy state.
- Chaos: Complete disorder and confusion.
- Disarray: A state of disorganization or untidiness.
- Havoc: Widespread destruction or great disorder.
Antonyms
- Order: The arrangement of things in a neat, organized way.
- Tidiness: The quality of being neat and orderly.
Related Idioms
- "Like a shambles": Used to emphasize a state of extreme disorder.
- The office looked like a shambles after the renovation work.
Noun
- a building where animals are butchered
- a condition of great disorder