2. [From Tangle, v.] A knot of threads, or other thing, united
confusedly, or so interwoven as not to be easily disengaged; a snarl;
as, hair or yarn in tangles; a tangle of vines and briers. Used also
figuratively.
3. pl. An instrument consisting essentially of an iron bar to which are
attached swabs, or bundles of frayed rope, or other similar substances,
— used to capture starfishes, sea urchins, and other similar creatures
living at the bottom of the sea.
Blue tangle. (Bot.)See Dangleberry. — Tangle picker (Zoöl.), the
turnstone. [Prov. Eng.]
Tan"gle*fish` (?), n. (Zoöl.) The sea adder, or great pipefish of
Europe.
Tan"gling*ly (?), adv. In a tangling manner.
Tan"gly (?), a. 1. Entangled; intricate.