Tan"gle (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tangled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Tangling (?).] [A frequentative fr. tang seaweed; hence, to twist like seaweed. See Tang seaweed, and cf. Tangle, n.] 1. To unite or knit together confusedly; to interweave or interlock, as threads, so as to make it difficult to unravel the knot; to entangle; to ravel.

2. To involve; to insnare; to entrap; as, to be tangled in lies. "Tangled in amorous nets." Milton.

When my simple weakness strays,
Tangled in forbidden ways.

Tan"gle, v. i. To be entangled or united confusedly; to get in a tangle.

Tan"gle, n. 1. [Cf. Icel. þöngull. See Tang seaweed.] (Bot.) Any large blackish seaweed, especially the Laminaria saccharina. See Kelp.

Coral and sea fan and tangle, the blooms and the palms of the ocean.

2. [From Tangle, v.] A knot of threads, or other thing, united confusedly, or so interwoven as not to be easily disengaged; a snarl; as, hair or yarn in tangles; a tangle of vines and briers. Used also figuratively.

3. pl. An instrument consisting essentially of an iron bar to which are attached swabs, or bundles of frayed rope, or other similar substances, -- used to capture starfishes, sea urchins, and other similar creatures living at the bottom of the sea.

Tan"gle (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tangled (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Tangling (?).] [A frequentative fr. tang seaweed; hence, to twist like seaweed. See Tang seaweed, and cf. Tangle, n.] 1. To unite or knit together confusedly; to interweave or interlock, as threads, so as to make it difficult to unravel the knot; to entangle; to ravel.

2. To involve; to insnare; to entrap; as, to be tangled in lies. "Tangled in amorous nets." Milton.

When my simple weakness strays,
Tangled in forbidden ways.

Tan"gle, v. i. To be entangled or united confusedly; to get in a tangle.

Tan"gle, n. 1. [Cf. Icel. þöngull. See Tang seaweed.] (Bot.) Any large blackish seaweed, especially the Laminaria saccharina. See Kelp.

Coral and sea fan and tangle, the blooms and the palms of the ocean.

2. [From Tangle, v.] A knot of threads, or other thing, united confusedly, or so interwoven as not to be easily disengaged; a snarl; as, hair or yarn in tangles; a tangle of vines and briers. Used also figuratively.

3. pl. An instrument consisting essentially of an iron bar to which are attached swabs, or bundles of frayed rope, or other similar substances, -- used to capture starfishes, sea urchins, and other similar creatures living at the bottom of the sea.

• A knot; a mess.
  
• Confusion or complication; a difficult problem.
       I tried to sort through this tangle and got nowhere.
  
• To mix together, to turn into confusion.
       Her hair was tangled from a day in the wind.
  
• To fight or skirmish
       Don't tangle with someone three times your size.