mesh

mesh — noun

1. Material made from threads, wires, or fibres woven together so that small open s

1.nounB1
Definition

Material made from threads, wires, or fibres woven together so that small open spaces remain between them; used to make nets, screens, filters, and breathable clothing.

Example

Sora used a sheet of wire mesh to cover the chimney opening and keep out animals.

countable: a sheet of wire mesh

The gardener placed plastic mesh over the strawberry patch to stop birds from eating the fruit.

modifier: plastic mesh

Common collocations
  • wire mesh
  • plastic mesh
  • metal mesh
  • mesh bag
  • mesh screen
  • mesh panel
  • fine mesh
  • sheet of mesh
Synonyms
  • netting

    more specific to open, rope-like or string-based material; mesh often implies finer or more regular holes

  • webbing

    suggests wider, strap-like bands rather than even holes

  • gauze

    finer, softer material, often used for medical dressings

Grammar Patterns

mesh + noun (modifier)

a piece/sheet/roll of mesh

Usage Note

When used as a modifier before another noun (mesh bag, mesh fabric, mesh screen), the word describes the material rather than the object itself.

Common Mistakes

The window has a mesh on it.
The window has a mesh screen on it.
In everyday English, 'mesh' usually refers to the material itself; you specify what object is made of mesh.

2. A tangled set of circumstances or a complex system that holds someone tightly an

2.nounC1
Definition

A tangled set of circumstances or a complex system that holds someone tightly and is very hard to break free from.

Example

Nikos found himself caught in a mesh of legal problems after the business partnership collapsed.

a mesh of + legal problems

The young filmmaker became trapped in a mesh of debts and unfair contracts with the studio.

trapped in a mesh of

Common collocations
  • mesh of problems
  • mesh of debts
  • mesh of lies
  • mesh of obligations
  • caught in a mesh
  • trapped in a mesh
Synonyms
  • web

    more common and slightly less formal; 'web' can be positive (web of connections) while 'mesh' here is always negative

  • tangle

    focuses on confusion rather than entrapment; less formal

  • snare

    emphasises deliberate deception or trickery

Grammar Patterns

a mesh of + noun (problems/obligations/lies/etc.)

trapped/caught in a mesh of + noun

3. The state in which two toothed machine parts, especially gears, make contact and

3.nounC1
Definition

The state in which two toothed machine parts, especially gears, make contact and fit into each other so that movement passes from one part to the next.

Example

Christopher heard a grinding noise when the gears failed to come into mesh properly.

come into mesh

The mechanic checked the mesh of the bicycle chain with the rear sprocket for any signs of wear.

Common collocations
  • come into mesh
  • in mesh
  • out of mesh
  • perfect mesh
  • proper mesh
  • gear mesh
Synonyms
  • engagement

    more common in general mechanical use; 'engagement of the gears' is typical

  • interlocking

    suggests a tighter, more permanent connection than mesh

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

come into mesh

in mesh

out of mesh

Usage Note

Common in fixed prepositional phrases: 'in mesh', 'out of mesh', 'come into mesh'. This sense is almost exclusively used in mechanical or engineering contexts.

mesh — verb

Word family

  • meshed
    adjectiveC1
  • meshing
    nounC1
  • enmesh
    verbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

'Mesh', 'fit', 'harmonise', and 'click' all describe things that work well together, but they differ in how they frame the relationship. 'Mesh' (from the image of gear teeth fitting together) emphasises that separate parts interlock to create a smooth whole — it is especially common for systems, teams, or abstract ideas. 'Fit' is the broadest and most neutral word; it simply describes compatibility without implying active cooperation ('This chair fits the room's decor'). 'Harmonise' carries a more intentional, aesthetic tone and is often used for colours, sounds, or deliberate efforts to align things ('The choir harmonised their voices beautifully'). 'Click' is informal and suggests an immediate, effortless rapport, usually between people ('The two interns clicked on their first day'). For everyday use, 'fit' works in any situation; choose 'mesh' when you want to emphasise interdependence and smooth functioning, 'harmonise' for deliberate alignment, and 'click' for spontaneous personal chemistry.

fit ↗harmoniseclick ↗mesh ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • come into mesh
  • in mesh
  • out of mesh
  • in a mesh of
  • caught in a mesh

Prepositions

Etymology

DutchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'mesh' comes from the early Dutch word 'maesche', which meant an opening in a net. It entered Middle English as 'mesche' or 'mæsche' around the 1300s and referred to the spaces between the threads of a net. By the 1500s it was also being used to describe the net itself and later the material it was made from. The mechanical sense of gears fitting together appeared in the 1800s, based on the image of net openings interlocking. The figurative use for ideas or people working together developed in the 1900s.