The term 'pell-mell' is a phrase that has been used since the 16th century to describe a chaotic or disorganized situation. It is derived from two words, 'pell' and 'mell', which were originally used separately but eventually combined into one phrase. The crossword solutions for this term are PELL (4 letters) and OTT (3 letters). PELL is derived from the Middle English word 'pellen', which means to drive or push forward, while OTT is derived from the Old English word 'ottan', which means to hasten or rush. Together, these two words form the phrase 'pell-mell', which is used to describe a chaotic or disorganized situation.