Raveling

[rav-uh-ling] /ˈræv ə lɪŋ/

noun
1.
something out, as a thread drawn or separated from a knitted or woven fabric.
[rav-uh l] /ˈræv əl/
verb (used with object), raveled, raveling or (especially British) ravelled, ravelling.
1.
to disentangle or the threads or fibers of (a woven or knitted fabric, rope, etc.).
2.
to tangle or entangle.
3.
to involve; confuse; perplex.
4.
to make clear; (often followed by out).
verb (used without object), raveled, raveling or (especially British) ravelled, ravelling.
5.
to become disjoined thread by thread or fiber by fiber; fray.
6.
to become tangled.
7.
to become confused or perplexed.
8.
(of a road surface) to lose aggregate.
noun
9.
a tangle or complication.
/ˈrævəl/
verb -els, -elling, -elled (US) -els, -eling, -eled
1.
to tangle (threads, fibres, etc) or (of threads, fibres, etc) to become entangled
2.
(often foll by out) to tease or draw out (the fibres of a fabric or garment) or (of a garment or fabric) to fray out in loose ends; unravel
3.
(transitive) usually foll by out. to disentangle or resolve: to ravel out a complicated story
4.
to break up (a road surface) in patches or (of a road surface) to begin to break up; fret; scab
5.
(archaic) to make or become confused or complicated
noun
6.
a tangle or complication
/French ravɛl/
noun
1.
Maurice (Joseph) (mɔris). 1875–1937, French composer, noted for his use of unresolved dissonances and mastery of tone colour. His works include Gaspard de la Nuit (1908) and Le Tombeau de Couperin (1917) for piano, Boléro (1928) for orchestra, and the ballet Daphnis et Chloé (1912)
adjective

pertaining to something that frays or ravels; also written ravelling
Examples

The raveling bottom of the jeans cannot be repaired.
Word Origin

1844
v.

1580s, “to untangle, disentangle, unwind” (originally with out), also “to entangle, become tangled or confused,” from Dutch ravelen “to tangle, fray,” rafelen “to unweave,” from rafel “frayed thread.” The seemingly contradictory senses of this word (ravel and unravel are both synonyms and antonyms) are reconciled by its roots in weaving and sewing: as threads become unwoven, they get tangled.
n.

1630s, “a tangle;” 1832, “a broken thread,” from ravel (v.).