もつれる

Also written 縺れる

Meanings

1. Ichidan verb, Intransitive to tangle; to get tangled; to get entangled
2. to have poor control over (one's tongue, feet, etc.); to trip over (as 舌が〜, 足が〜, etc.) See also: 舌がもつれる (したがもつれる).
3. to become complicated; to become difficult; to become tricky; to get into a tangle; to become messy

Example sentences

• この糸はすぐもつれる。
  This thread tangles easily.
• 赤ん坊が毛糸の玉をもつれさせた。
  The baby tangled the ball of yarn.
• 足がもつれて転びそうになった。
  I tripped and nearly fell.
• トムは６時半にベッドから転がり出ると、もつれた足でキッチンへ行き、トースターに二枚パンを突っ込んだ。
  Tom rolled out of bed at 6:30, shuffled into the kitchen and put two slices of bread into the toaster.
• 糸がもつれちゃった。
  The threads got tangled.

Common phrases

• 優勝争いがもつれる
• 延長戦にもつれる

Words containing もつれる

• 舌がもつれる (したがもつれる) to speak unclearly
• 足がもつれる (あしがもつれる) to trip (over one's own feet)

Jinuma: Japanese Dictionary · Word lists