Rav"el (răv"'l), v. t.
[imp. & p. p. Raveled (-'ld) or
Ravelled; p. pr. & vb. n. Raveling or
Ravelling.] [OD. ravelen, D. rafelen, akin to LG.
rebeln, rebbeln, reffeln.] 1.
To separate or undo the texture of; to take apart; to untwist; to
unweave or unknit; -- often followed by out; as, to
ravel a twist; to ravel out a stocking.
Sleep, that knits up the raveled sleave of
care.
Shak.
2. To undo the intricacies of; to
disentangle.
3. To pull apart, as the threads of a texture,
and let them fall into a tangled mass; hence, to entangle; to make
intricate; to involve.
What glory 's due to him that could divide
Such raveled interests? has the knot untied?
Waller.
The faith of very many men seems a duty so weak and
indifferent, is so often untwisted by violence, or raveled and
entangled in weak discourses!
Jer. Taylor.Rav"el, v. i. 1. To
become untwisted or unwoven; to be disentangled; to be relieved of
intricacy.
2. To fall into perplexity and
confusion. [Obs.]
Till, by their own perplexities involved,
They ravel more, still less resolved.
Milton.
3. To make investigation or search, as by
picking out the threads of a woven pattern. [Obs.]
The humor of raveling into all these mystical or
entangled matters.
Sir W. Temple.