Part of the ship's company that eats together, (such as the officers' mess) and, by extension, the place where they eat. On passenger liners, the passengers may still eat in dining rooms, but the crew eats in the mess. from late Latin missum, that which is put on a table.

A quantity of food set on a table at one time; provision of food for a person or party for one meal; as, a mess of pottage; also, the food given to a beast at one time.

A number of persons who eat together, and for whom food is prepared in common; especially, persons in the military or naval service who eat at the same table; as, the wardroom mess.

To take meals with a mess; to belong to a mess; to eat (with others); as, I mess with the wardroom officers.

A disagreeable mixture or confusion of things; hence, a situation resulting from blundering or from misunderstanding; as, he made a mess of it.

To make a mess{5} of; to disorder or muddle; to muss; to jumble; to disturb; to mess up.

a state of confusion and disorderliness; "the house was a mess"; "she smoothed the mussiness of the bed"

informal terms for a difficult situation; "he got into a terrible fix"; "he made a muddle of his marriage"