From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
tangle
n 1: a twisted and tangled mass that is highly interwoven; "they
carved their way through the tangle of vines"
2: something jumbled or confused; "a tangle of government
regulations" [syn: tangle, snarl, maze]
v 1: force into some kind of situation, condition, or course of
action; "They were swept up by the events"; "don't drag me
into this business" [syn: embroil, tangle, sweep,
sweep up, drag, drag in]
2: tangle or complicate; "a ravelled story" [syn: ravel,
tangle, knot] [ant: ravel, ravel out, unknot,
unpick, unravel, unscramble, untangle]
3: disarrange or rumple; dishevel; "The strong wind tousled my
hair" [syn: tousle, dishevel, tangle]
4: twist together or entwine into a confusing mass; "The child
entangled the cord" [syn: entangle, tangle, mat,
snarl] [ant: disentangle, straighten out, unsnarl]