C) confusion and disorder in general

Some adverbial and adjectival phrases in common use are: (all) at sixes and sevens is used of things which are in a state of utter confusion or out of order.

The servants have gone off leaving everything at sixes and sevens. (W. M.) We have just transported the machines into the new workshop, and everything is at sixes and sevens. (K. H.)

There's a regular shindy in the house; and every­thing at sixes and sevens. (W. Th.) I'm doing my level best but everything is at sixes and sevens. (L. L.)

upside down — in disorder; in confusion

"I don't know what I've done, " said Soames

huskily.

"I never have. It's all upside down. I was fond

of her; I've always been." (J. G.)

"Oh, dear, " said Mrs.-Alington, "I hope they are

not turning the place upside down." (J. P.)

Topsyturvy is similarly used.

(to be) in a muddie (mess, tangle) — in a state of

confusion and disorder

"Oh, do come in, " Cynthia urged her after a pause that was just a moment too long. "Everything's in an awful muddle. But do come in." (N. C.) After he had finished packing the furniture, the whole room was in a mess. (A. H.) Everything was in a tangle and I couldn't find what I wanted. (A. H.)

helter-skelter — (in) disorderly haste (used of a precipitate action, often in making a hasty retreat)

When the rain came the cricketers rushed helter-skelter for the pavilion. (W. B.) I knew that Geraldine kept her papers in two drawers at the bottom of her desk. Into these she had thrown what she wanted to keep, helter-skelter.... (L. A.)

pell-mell — in a confused, disordered manner

... when looking down into the lock from the quay, you might fancy it was a huge box into which flowers of every hue and shade had been thrown pell-mell.... (J. J.)

higgledy-piggledy — in utter confusion or complete disorder

Trager had one of those minds in which little bits of observation, deduction, flashes of inspiration, and ideas born of a wide experience floated about higgledy-piggledy.... (V. L.)

haywire — in an unusual, confused manner; confused (used of things that seem to act illogically and uncontrollably)

I don' know what's happened to the Ruritarians. Their foreign policy seems to have gone com­pletely haywire. (W. B.) This radio's gone haywire. (D. A. S.)

a bear garden (a bedlam) — a place full of noise and con­fusion

But the way he's gone about it, it's making

the college into a bear garden. (C. S.)

The room was just like a bedlam when I went in.

A pretty (nice, fine) kettle of fish is colloquial for a confused and difficult situation.

When she had gone Soames reached for the letter. "A pretty kettle of fish, " he muttered. (J. G.) The apprentice had broken the driving motor of the machine. It was a nice kettle of fish. (K. H.)

Дата добавления: 2015-10-29