mangle

Meanings

Verb

• To change, mutilate or disfigure by cutting, tearing, rearranging etc.
• To modify (an identifier from source code) so as to produce a unique identifier for internal use by the compiler, etc.
• To wring laundry.

Noun

• A hand-operated device with rollers, for wringing laundry.
• The mangle attached to wringer washing machines, often called the wringer.
• mangrove (tree)

Origin

• From Middle English mangelen, from Anglo-Norman mangler, mahangler, frequentative of either Old French mangonner ("to cut to pieces") or mahaigner, of Germanic origin, for which see mayhem.
• Alternate etymology derives mangle from Middle English *mankelen, a frequentative form of manken, from Old English mancian, bemancian. More at mank.
• From Middle Dutch mangel, from late Middle High German mangel, enhanced form of mange, originally “mangonel”, from Medieval Latin manga, manganum. Doublet of mangonel. Cognate with German Mangel, Dutch mangel, both “mangle”.