Embroil
/ɪmˈbrɔɪl/noun
To involve someone in a conflict, argument, or difficult situation.
Did you know?Embroil comes through French from a word meaning to tangle or tress, and its oldest sense is about being literally wrapped up and knotted before it became a metaphor for conflict.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
L.
prode?
“No established direct Latin ancestor is usually cited; the English word comes through French.”
Old French
OF
embrouiller
“To tangle, confuse, or muddle up.”
Middle French
MF
embrouiller
“To mix up, confuse, or entangle.”
16th Century
English
embroilen / embroil
“To entangle or involve in confusion or disorder.”
Modern English
English
embroil
“To involve in a dispute, conflict, or troublesome situation.”