1. adverb In a frantic, confused, and disorderly manner; quickly and out of control. As the final bell of the semester rang, students ran pell-mell out the doors and into their summer of freedom.

2. adjective Frantic, disorderly, and out of control. The pell-mell traffic of India can be shocking to tourists who are used to more orderly streets.

3. noun Frantic and tumultuous disorder. The suspect managed to slip away among the horrible pell-mell that ensued.