tangle / jumble
das Gewirr
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tangle
A disorganized, difficult-to-oversee mass of things that are mixed together or intertwined.
Das Gewirr aus Kabeln hinter dem Schreibtisch war kaum zu entwirren.
The tangle of cables behind the desk was almost impossible to unravel.
jumble
A confusing jumble of thoughts, voices, events, or information.
Nach der langen Diskussion blieb in meinem Kopf nur ein Gewirr widersprüchlicher Gedanken zurück.
After the long discussion, all that remained in my head was a jumble of contradictory thoughts.
| gender | neuter das |
|---|---|
| genitive | des Gewirrs |
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | das Gewirr | – |
| accusative | das Gewirr | – |
| dative | dem Gewirr | – |
| genitive | des Gewirrs des Gewirres | – |
The article changes with the case; it is shown in colour.
'Gewirr' (tangle / jumble) is often used with 'aus' or 'von' when its components are mentioned. This is followed by a dative phrase, for example 'ein Gewirr aus Kabeln' (a tangle of cables) or 'ein Gewirr von Stimmen' (a jumble of voices).
Auf dem Dachboden fanden wir ein Gewirr aus alten Leitungen.
We found a tangle of old wires in the attic.
Aus dem Nebenzimmer drang ein Gewirr von Stimmen.
A jumble of voices came from the next room.
With a concrete 'Gewirr' (tangle), verbs such as 'entwirren' (to untangle) or 'lösen' (to undo) are often used. A typical combination with 'sich verfangen' (to get caught) is: 'sich in einem Gewirr verfangen' (to get caught in a tangle). Common examples include a tangle of cables, wires, or branches.
Der kleine Vogel hatte sich in einem Gewirr aus dünnen Ästen verfangen.
The small bird had gotten caught in a tangle of thin branches.
The figurative meaning is often clear when abstract words follow 'Gewirr' (jumble), such as 'Gedanken' (thoughts), 'Stimmen' (voices), 'Gefühle' (feelings), or 'Informationen' (information). It then refers to content that is difficult to organize, rather than objects lying or intertwined together.
In dem Gewirr widersprüchlicher Informationen fand niemand eine klare Antwort.
No one found a clear answer in the jumble of contradictory information.
