muddy (muddier comparative) (muddiest superlative) (muddies 3rd person present) (muddying present participle) (muddied past tense & past participle )
1 adj Something that is muddy contains mud or is covered in mud.
...a muddy track...
2 verb If you muddy something, you cause it to be muddy.
The ground still smelled of rain and they muddied their shoes... V n
3 verb If someone or something muddies a situation or issue, they cause it to seem less clear and less easy to understand.
It's difficult enough without muddying the issue with religion. V n
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muddied adj
Overseas the legal issues are more muddied. If someone or something muddies the waters, they cause a situation or issue to seem less clear and less easy to understand.
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muddy the waters phrase
They keep on muddying the waters by raising other political issues.