Pell Mell
Origin: French: pêle-mêle
Part of Speech: Adv.
English Meaning: in a topsy-turvy manner; chaotic; disorderly
Example 1:
I actually used this wonderful vocabulary gem today in spoken English, so I felt that I had to share it with all of you! Here is what I said mid-afternoon in a conversation with a colleague:
(Suddenly looking out the window) "Wow! I just saw a policeman run all pell mell out of the F building*! I wonder what is going on?"**
Example 2:
A painting by Howard Pyle entitled: They Scrambled Up the Parapet and Went over the Top, Pell Mell, Upon the British, C.1897
The title of this painting describes the soldiers in blue, who are the American Revolutionary soldiers. The soldiers in red are the British soldiers. In my opinion, the poor British soldier at the bottom of the painting also fits the criteria of today's vocabulary word. I could say something like:
"The British soldier was falling pell mell."
Pell mell is not to be confused with:
A street in London, nor....
A brand of cigarettes!
~ Try to use pell mell in English today! ~
* This is the name of a building on a college campus in Chicago.
** Note: I never did figure out why the policeman was running pell mell!
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