disarray
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English disareyen (“to disarray”), from Middle French desarroyer, from Old French desareer, from des- (“dis-”) + areer (“to array”).
Pronunciation edit
Verb edit
disarray (third-person singular simple present disarrays, present participle disarraying, simple past and past participle disarrayed)
- (transitive) To throw into disorder; to break the array of.
- 1726, Elijah Fenton, Odyssey:
- Who with fiery steeds / Oft disarray'd the foes in battle ranged.
- (transitive) To take off the dress of; to unrobe.
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto VIII”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 46:
- So as she bad, that witch they disaraid
Antonyms edit
Translations edit
To throw into disorder; to break the array of
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To take off the dress of; to unrobe
Noun edit
disarray (uncountable)
- Lack of array or regular order; disorder; confusion.
- 2012 April 15, Phil McNulty, “Tottenham 1-5 Chelsea”, in BBC[1]:
- Tottenham pushed forward in an attempt to complete the recovery - but only succeeded in leaving themselves wide open to Chelsea's attacks and Redknapp's side ended in total disarray.
- Confused attire; undress; dishabille.
Synonyms edit
- See also Thesaurus:disorder
Translations edit
Want of array or regular order
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Confused attire; undress
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