Mess /(mĕs)/

1. Mass; church service. [Obs.]

1. A quantity of food set on a table at one time; provision of food for a person or party for one meal; as, a mess of pottage; also, the food given to a beast at one time.

   At their savory dinner set Of herbs and other country messes.

2. A number of persons who eat together, and for whom food is prepared in common; especially, persons in the military or naval service who eat at the same table; as, the wardroom mess.
3. A set of four; -- from the old practice of dividing companies into sets of four at dinner. [Obs.]
4. The milk given by a cow at one milking. [U.S.]
5. A disagreeable mixture or confusion of things; hence, a situation resulting from blundering or from misunderstanding; as, he made a mess of it. [Colloq.]

imp. & p. p. Messed; p. pr. & vb. n. Messing

1. To take meals with a mess; to belong to a mess; to eat (with others); as, I mess with the wardroom officers.

1. To supply with a mess.
2. To make a mess{5} of; to disorder or muddle; to muss; to jumble; to disturb; to mess up.

   It was n't right either to be messing another man's sleep.