ravel

• vt.はっきりさせる；もつれを解く；もつれさせる
• vi.ばらばらにする；もつれさせる
• n. 複雑に絡み合った塊
• n. （ラヴェル）人の名前；（仏）ラヴェル

オランダ語のravelen「ほどく」、rafel「ほどく」、ravel up「ほぐす」から。この言葉の両義性は、ravelした糸が解けるともつれることから来ているのかもしれない。解きほぐすという複合語unravelに共通する。

ravel (v.)

1580s, "to untangle, disentangle, unwind" (originally with out), also "to entangle, become tangled or confused," from Dutch ravelen "to tangle, fray," rafelen "to unweave," from rafel "frayed thread." The seemingly contradictory senses of this word (ravel and unravel are both synonyms and antonyms) are reconciled by its roots in weaving and sewing: as threads become unwoven, they get tangled.

ravel (n.)

1630s, "a tangle;" 1832, "a broken thread," from ravel (v.).

1. The floor was littered with ravel ( l ) ings.

床には散線が敷き詰められている。

2.The difficulty will soon ravel out.

困難はすぐに解決される。

3.Our temporary difficulties will soon ravel out.

私たちの一時的な困難はすぐに解決されます。

4.Don 't let the cat ravel that ball of wool up.

その猫が毛糸を乱すな。

5.Bind the edge of the rug so that it won 't ravel .

ほつれないようにカーペットエッジをはめ込む。