[49] A Montage of Mess: Exploring Collective Noun Examples with the Word 'Mess'

A mess is both a literal and figurative example of a collective noun. When used in the literal sense, it describes a disorderly or untidy situation, typically referring to a group of items scattered untidily. For instance, imagine a room with toys, papers, and clothes strewn all over the floor - that is a "mess" of belongings.

When considering "mess" as a collective noun in the figurative sense, it refers to a group of living creatures, usually animals, gathered in one place. Here are a few sample descriptions using the word "mess" in this way:

1. "A mess of puppies frolicked in the backyard, tumbling over each other with boundless energy."

2. "Underneath the towering oak tree, a mischievous mess of squirrels rustled and played, chasing acorns all around."

3. "The fishermen returned to shore with a bountiful mess of fish, proudly displaying their haul."

4. "Visitors to the park marveled at the sight of a mess of geese gliding gracefully on the calm lake waters."

5. "From their hidden hive, a busy mess of bees diligently buzzed out into the meadow, collecting pollen for their hive."

In these examples, the word "mess" portrays a vivid image of a group of creatures engaging in their unique activities, highlighting the chaotic yet fascinating nature of collective nouns.

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Mess Of Junk

A mess of junk is a collective noun phrase that encapsulates a chaotic and disorderly assemblage of various items, objects, or materials that is deemed useless, obsolete, or simply unwanted. It signifies an accumulation of discarded things, often with lit...

Example sentence

"The basement was filled with a mess of junk, piled high and blocking any space to move around."

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Mess Of Keys

A mess of keys refers to a large and tangled assortment of keys gathered together in a random or disorganized manner. This collective noun phrase depicts a collection of keys that is in a state of confusion or disorder, making it difficult to distinguish ...

Example sentence

"I entered the room to find a mess of keys strewn all over the table, making it difficult to find the right one."

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Mess Of Leaves

A mess of leaves is a collective noun phrase used to describe a chaotic, tangled, and disorganized gathering of leaves. It conjures an image of a lush, diverse mixture of fallen foliage scattered haphazardly on the ground. This phrase captures the brillia...

Example sentence

"As autumn arrived, a mess of leaves covered the ground, transforming the landscape into a vibrant sea of red, orange, and yellow."

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Mess Of Linens

A mess of linens refers to a group or collection of linens in disarray or untidily piled up. It conjures the image of a cluttered or unorganized assortment of various types of fabric, such as bed sheets, towels, tablecloths, or clothing, creating a haphaz...

Example sentence

"The mess of linens in the laundry room needed to be sorted and folded."

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Mess Of Misplaced Items

A mess of misplaced items refers to a group or collection of various things or objects that have been haphazardly and mistakenly positioned or put-away in disarray. It is typically used in a lighthearted or whimsical manner to describe a cluttered and cha...

Example sentence

"In my messy bedroom, there is a mess of misplaced items on every surface."

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Mess Of Nails

A mess of nails is a slightly unusual and graphic collective noun phrase referring to a chaotic and disorganized collection of nails. Much like their name suggests, a mess of nails often indicates a jumble or tangle of various sizes, shapes, and condition...

Example sentence

"The carpenter carried a mess of nails in his tool belt as he prepared to build a new shelf."

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Mess Of Odds And Ends

A mess of odds and ends refers to a haphazard collection of various items or objects that have been accumulated or gathered together in a disorganized manner. It is a phrase used to describe a miscellaneous group of unrelated things, typically characteriz...

Example sentence

"The garage was cluttered with a mess of odds and ends, ranging from old bicycles to broken garden tools."

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Mess Of Paints

A mess of paints refers to a gathering or collection of various paint colors, containers, brushes, and other related materials. It embodies the assortment and potential chaos of paint supplies often found in an artist's studio or a painter's work area. Th...

Example sentence

"The artist's studio was filled with a mess of paints, brushes, and canvases."

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Mess Of Papers

A mess of papers refers to a chaotic and disorganized collection of various documents, be it loose papers, sheets, or even folders. This collective noun phrase vividly captures the image of papers haphazardly strewn about or piled chaotically, causing con...

Example sentence

"I'm having trouble finding the document I need in this massive mess of papers on my desk."

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Mess Of Pencils

A mess of pencils is a whimsical and colorful collective noun phrase used to describe a random and disorderly grouping of numerous pencils. These writing tools come in a plethora of shapes, colors, and sizes, jumbled together in a fascinating and chaotic ...

Example sentence

"The teacher's desk was cluttered with a mess of pencils, and it took her a while to find the color she needed."

Some of these collective noun phrases are traditional, while others showcase a touch of creativity. Choose the one that best fits your narrative or discussion.

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