Ravel
Ravel (rav"'l) , transitive verb
[OD. ravelen, Dutch rafelen, akin to LG. rebeln, rebbeln, reffeln.]
1.
To separate or undo the texture of; to unravel; 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.
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?
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!
Ravel , intransitive verb
1.
To become untwisted or unwoven; to be disentangled; to be relieved of intricacy.
2.
To fall into perplexity and confusion. [Obsolete]
Till, by their own perplexities involved,
They ravel more, still less resolved.
3.
To make investigation or search, as by picking out the threads of a woven pattern. [Obsolete]
The humor of raveling into all these mystical or entangled matters.