Tangling
/ˈtæŋ.ɡəl.ɪŋ/noun
Present participle of tangle: to twist together into a confused mass or become entangled.
Did you know?The word tangle is believed to come from a Scandinavian source related to twisting or hooking, which is why English uses it for both knotted thread and complicated situations.
Etymological Timeline
Pre-Old English / Old Norse influence
Germanic
*tang- / *tangl-
“A hooked or twisted thing; a snag or tangle-like form.”
Old Norse
ON
tǫngl
“A cluster, tangle, or entanglement.”
Middle English
English
tanglen
“To twist together; to confuse or snare.”
Modern English
English
tangle
“To become twisted together in a messy knot or confusion.”
Modern English
English
tangling
“Being in the act of twisting together or becoming entangled.”