Etymology From earlier mingil, mengle, from Middle English menglen, equivalent to ming + -le. Cognate with Dutch mengelen (“to mingle, mix”), German mengen (“to mingle, mix”). More at ming.
To intermix; to combine or join, as an individual or part, with other parts, but commonly so as to be distinguishable in the product.
[T]here was hayle ãd fyre mẽgled with the hayle, […]1530 January 27 (Gregorian calendar), W[illiam] T[yndale], transl., [The Pentateuch] (Tyndale Bible), Malborow [Marburg], Hesse: […] Hans Luft [actually Antwerp: Johan Hoochstraten], →OCLC, Exodus ix:[24], folio XV, verso:
Be aware of the smiling enemy, that openly sheatheth his weapon, / But mingleth poison in secret with the sacred salt of hospitality.1838, Martin Farquhar Tupper, “Of Searching for Pride”, in Proverbial Philosophy: A Book of Thoughts and Arguments, Originally Treated, London: Joseph Rickerby, […], →OCLC, page 69:
1 more example
Across the city yesterday, there was a feeling of bittersweet reunion as streams of humanity converged and mingled at dozens of memorial services.2006 September 11, Sheryl Gay Stolberg, “Bush Mourns 9/11 at Ground Zero as N.Y. Remembers”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 Sep 2011:
2
To associate or unite in a figurative way, or by ties of relationship.
3
To cause or allow to intermarry.
4
To intermarry.
[W]e haue bꝛokẽ thy ſtatutes ⁊ cõmaundementes agayne, ⁊ mengled o^ꝛ ſelues wᵗ the vnclẽnes of the outlandiſh heithen.1535 October 14 (Gregorian calendar), Myles Coverdale, transl., Biblia: The Byble, […] (Coverdale Bible), [Cologne or Marburg]: [Eucharius Cervicornus and Johannes Soter?], →OCLC, III. Essdras [1 Esdras] viij:[87], folio vij, verso, column 2:
[T]he holy ſeed haue mingled themſelues with the people of thoſe lands, […]1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ezra 9:2, column 1:
5
To deprive of purity by mixture; to contaminate.
a mingled, imperfect virtuea. 1729, John Rogers, The Necessity of Universal Obedience:
6
To make or prepare by mixing the ingredients of.
The physician […] proceeded to mingle another draught.1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “The Interview”, in The Scarlet Letter, a Romance, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, →OCLC, page 86:
Some dozen Romanes of vs, and your Lord (The beſt Feather of our wing) haue mingled ſummes To buy a Preſent for the Emperor: […]1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene vi], page 375, column 2:
8
To become mixed or blended.
Many a tear would mingle in the cup of joy that they presented to the young couples and the wedding-guests.1929, Abraham Zevi Idelsohn, Jewish Music: Its Historical Development, page 438:
9
To socialize with different people at a social event.
And allow a bit of a cocktail hour before the meal so that when your guests arrive, you have time to mingle before you step into the kitchen.2009, Jane Buckingham, The Modern Girl's Guide to Life:
Etymology From earlier mingil, mengle, from Middle English menglen, equivalent to ming + -le. Cognate with Dutch mengelen (“to mingle, mix”), German mengen (“to mingle, mix”). More at ming.
1
The act of informally meeting numerous people in a group.
When speakers engage their audiences before they speak with a quick mingle and keep the engagement going throughout the speech, the access point for fear is cut off because there is no silence.2019, Sally Lou Oaks Loveman, Speak: Love Your Story, Your Audience Is Waiting: