noun
shambles
SHAM-buhlz
noun
1
A scene of complete disorder, mess, or chaos.
"The kitchen was a shambles after the party."
"The whole project turned into an absolute shambles."
2
Historically, a butcher's shop or slaughterhouse (now rare/archaic).
"The old town's Shambles street was once lined with butchers' stalls."
How to Use Shambles
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA complete mess or state of chaos.
When to use it
Almost always used with "a" or "in", as in "it's a shambles" or "in shambles".
Common pairings
a total shambles
in shambles
Word Forms
shambles plural
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Etymology
From Old English sceamol ("bench, stool"), which came to mean a butcher's bench, then a slaughterhouse, then a scene of disorder or carnage.