Miny - Miscellany
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Miny (mīn�), a. Abounding with mines; like a mine. “Miny caverns.” Thomson.
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Minyan (m�nyän), n. (Jewish Relig.) A quorum, or number necessary, for conducting public worship.
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Miocene (mī�sēn), prop. a. [Gr. meiwn less + kainos new, fresh, recent.] (Geol.) Of or pertaining to the middle division of the Tertiary. -- n. The Miocene period. See Chart of .
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Miohippus (mī�hĭppŭs), n. [NL., fr. Gr. meiwn less + ippos horse.] (Paleon.) An extinct Miocene mammal of the Horse family, closely related to the genus Anhithecrium, and having three usable hoofs on each foot.
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Miquelet (mĭkw�lĕt), n. [Sp. miquelete.] (Mil.) An irregular or partisan soldier; a bandit.
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Mir (mēr), n. [Russ. mir'.] A Russian village community. D. M. Wallace.
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Mir, n. [Per. mīr.] Same as .
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Mira (?), n. [NL., from L. mirus wonderful.] (Astron.) A remarkable variable star in the constellation Cetus (ο Ceti).
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Mirabilary (?), n.; pl. Mirabilaries (�). One who, or a work which, narrates wonderful things; one who writes of wonders. [Obs.] Bacon.
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Mirabilis (?), prop. n. [L., wonderful.] (Bot.) A genus of plants. See .
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Mirabilite (?), n. (Min.) Native sodium sulphate; Glauber's salt.
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Mirable (?), a. [L. mirabilis, fr. mirari to wonder: cf. OF. mirable. See .] Wonderful; admirable. [Obs.] Shak.
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Miracle (?), n. [F., fr. L. miraculum, fr. mirari to wonder. See , and cf. .]
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1. A wonder or wonderful thing.
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That miracle and queen of genus.
Shak.
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2. Specifically: An event or effect contrary to the established constitution and course of things, or a deviation from the known laws of nature; a supernatural event, or one transcending the ordinary laws by which the universe is governed.
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They considered not the miracle of the loaves.
Mark vi. 52.
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3. A miracle play.
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4. A story or legend abounding in miracles. [Obs.]
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When said was all this miracle.
Chaucer.
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Coloq. Miracle monger , an impostor who pretends to work miracles. -- Coloq. Miracle play , one of the old dramatic entertainments founded on legends of saints and martyrs or (see 2d , 2) on events related in the Bible.
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Miracle, v. t. To make wonderful. [Obs.] Shak.
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Miraculize (?), v. t. To cause to seem to be a miracle. [R.] Shaftesbury.
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Miraculous (?), a. [F. miraculeux. See .]
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1. Of the nature of a miracle; performed by supernatural power; effected by the direct agency of almighty power, and not by natural causes.
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2. Supernatural; wonderful.
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3. Wonder-working. “The miraculous harp.” Shak.
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-- Miraculously, adv. -- Miraculousness, n.
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Mirador (?), n. [Sp., fr. mirar to behold, view. See .] (Arch.) Same as .
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Mirage (?), n. [F., fr. mirer to look at carefully, to aim, se mirer to look at one's self in a glass, to reflect, to be reflected, LL. mirare to look at. See .] An optical effect, sometimes seen on the ocean, but more frequently in deserts, due to total reflection of light at the surface common to two strata of air differently heated. The reflected image is seen, commonly in an inverted position, while the real object may or may not be in sight. When the surface is horizontal, and below the eye, the appearance is that of a sheet of water in which the object is seen reflected; when the reflecting surface is above the eye, the image is seen projected against the sky. The fata Morgana and looming are species of mirage.
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By the mirage uplifted the land floats vague in the ether,
Ships and the shadows of ships hang in the motionless air.
Longfellow.
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Mirbane (?), n. See .
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Mire (mīr), n. [AS. mīre, mȳre; akin to D. mier, Icel. maurr, Dan. myre, Sw. myra; cf. also Ir. moirbh, Gr. myrmhx.] An ant. [Obs.] See .
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Mire, n. [OE. mire, myre; akin to Icel. m�rr swamp, Sw. myra marshy ground, and perh. to E. moss.] Deep mud; wet, spongy earth. Chaucer.
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He his rider from the lofty steed
Would have cast down and trod in dirty mire.
Spenser.
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Coloq. Mire crow (Zoöl.), the pewit, or laughing gull. [Prov. Eng.] -- Coloq. Mire drum , the European bittern. [Prov. Eng.]
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Mire, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mired (mīrd); p. pr. & vb. n. Miring.]
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1. To cause or permit to stick fast in mire; to plunge or fix in mud; as, to mire a horse or wagon.
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2. Hence: To stick or entangle; to involve in difficulties; -- often used in the passive or predicate form; as, we got mired in bureaucratic red tape and it took years longer than planned.
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3. To soil with mud or foul matter.
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Smirched thus and mired with infamy.
Shak.
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Mire, v. i. To stick in mire. Shak.
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{ Mirific (?), Mirifical (?), } a. [L. mirificus; mirus wonderful + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See .] Working wonders; wonderful.
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Mirificent (?), a. Wonderful. [Obs.]
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Miriness (?), n. The quality of being miry.
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Mirk (?), a. [See .] Dark; gloomy; murky. Spenser. Mrs. Browning.
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Mirk, n. Darkness; gloom; murk. “In mirk and mire.” Longfellow.
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Mirksome (?), a. Dark; gloomy; murky. [Archaic] Spenser. -- Mirksomeness, n. [Archaic]
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Mirky (?), a. Dark; gloomy. See .
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Mirliton (?), n. [F.] 1. A kind of musical toy into which one sings, hums, or speaks, producing a coarse, reedy sound. It is also called a kazoo.
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Trilby singing “Ben Bolt” into a mirliton was a thing to be remembered, whether one would or no!
Du Maurier.
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2. same as .
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Mirounga prop. n. A genus comprising the elephant seals.
Syn. -- genus Mirounga.
[WordNet 1.5]
Mirror (?), n. [OE. mirour, F. miroir, OF. also mireor, fr. (assumed) LL. miratorium, fr. mirare to look at, L. mirari to wonder. See , and cf. , .]
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1. A looking-glass or a speculum; any glass or polished substance that forms images by the reflection of rays of light.
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And in her hand she held a mirror bright,
Wherein her face she often viewèd fair.
Spenser.
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2. That which gives a true representation, or in which a true image may be seen; hence, a pattern; an exemplar.
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She is mirour of all courtesy.
Chaucer.
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O goddess, heavenly bright,
Mirror of grace and majesty divine.
Spenser.
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3. (Zoöl.) See .
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Coloq. Mirror carp (Zoöl.), a domesticated variety of the carp, having only three or fur rows of very large scales side. -- Coloq. Mirror plate . (a) A flat glass mirror without a frame. (b) Flat glass used for making mirrors. -- Coloq. Mirror writing , a manner or form of backward writing, making manuscript resembling in slant and order of letters the reflection of ordinary writing in a mirror. The substitution of this manner of writing for the common manner is a symptom of some kinds of nervous disease.
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Mirror (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Mirrored (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Mirroring.] 1. To reflect, as in a mirror.
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2. To copy or duplicate; to mimic or imitate; as, the files at Project Gutenberg were mirrored on several other ftp sites around the world.
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3. To have a close resemblance to; as, his opinions often mirrored those of his wife.
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mirrored adj. Reflected in or as if in a mirror.
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mirrorlike adj. 1. capable of reflecting light like a mirror; flat and reflective; as, the mirrorlike surface of the lake.
Syn. -- specular.
[WordNet 1.5]
Mirrorscope (?), n. [Mirror + -scope.] See , below.
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Mirth (?), n. [OE. mirthe, murthe, merthe, AS. myrð, myrgð, merhð, mirhð. See .]
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1. Merriment; gayety accompanied with laughter; jollity.
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Then will I cause to cease . . . from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth.
Jer. vii. 34.
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2. That which causes merriment. [Obs.] Shak.
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Syn. -- Merriment; joyousness; gladness; fun; frolic; glee; hilarity; festivity; jollity. See .
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Mirthful (?), a. 1. Full of mirth or merriment; merry; as, mirthful children.
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2. Indicating or inspiring mirth; as, a mirthful face.
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Mirthful, comic shows.
Shak.
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-- Mirthfully, adv. -- Mirthfulness, n.
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Mirthless, a. Without mirth. -- Mirthlessness, n.
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Miry (?), a. [From 2d .] Abounding with deep mud; full of mire; muddy; as, a miry road.
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Miryachit (?), n. [Written also myriachit.] [Yakoot merjäk epileptic, fr. imerek jerk, rage.] (Med.) A nervous disease in which the patient involuntarily imitates the words or action of another.
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Mirza (?), n. [Per. mīrzā, abbrev. fr. mīrzādeh son of the prince; mīr prince (Ar. amīr, emīr) + zādeh son.] The common title of honor in Persia, prefixed to the surname of an individual. When appended to the surname, it signifies Prince.
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Mis- (mĭs-). [In words of Teutonic origin, fr. AS. mis-; akin to D. mis-, G. miss-, OHG. missa-, missi-, Icel. & Dan. mis-, Sw. miss-, Goth. missa-; orig., a p. p. from the root of G. meiden to shun, OHG. mīdan, AS. mīðan (√100. Cf. to fail of). In words from the French, fr. OF. mes-, F. mé-, mes-, fr. L. minus less (see ). In present usage these two prefixes are commonly confounded.] A prefix used adjectively and adverbially in the sense of amiss, wrong, ill, wrongly, unsuitably; as, misdeed, mislead, mischief, miscreant.
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Mis (mĭs), a. & adv. [See .] Wrong; amiss. [Obs.] “To correcten that [which] is mis.” Chaucer.
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Misacceptation (?), n. Wrong acceptation; understanding in a wrong sense.
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Misaccompt (?), v. t. To account or reckon wrongly. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Misadjust (?), v. t. To adjust wrongly of unsuitably; to throw out of adjustment. I. Taylor.
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Misadjustment (?), n. Wrong adjustment; unsuitable arrangement.
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Misadventure (?; 135), n. [OE. mesaventure, F. mésaventure.] Mischance; misfortune; ill luck; unlucky accident; ill adventure. Chaucer.
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Coloq. Homicide by misadventure (Law), homicide which occurs when a man, doing a lawful act, without any intention of injury, unfortunately kills another; -- called also excusable homicide. See . Blackstone.
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Syn. -- Mischance; mishap; misfortune; disaster; calamity.
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Misadventured (?), a. Unfortunate. [Obs.]
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Misadventurous (?), a. Unfortunate.
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Misadvertence (?), n. Inadvertence.
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Misadvice (?), n. Bad advice.
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Misadvise (?), v. t. To give bad counsel to.
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Misadvised (?), a. Ill advised. -- Misadvisedly (#), adv.
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misaffect (mĭsăffĕkt), v. t. To dislike. [Obs.]
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misaffected, a. Ill disposed. [Obs.]
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misaffection (mĭsăffĕkshŭn), n. An evil or wrong affection; the state of being ill affected. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
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misaffirm (mĭsăffẽrm), v. t. To affirm incorrectly.
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misaimed (mĭsāmd), a. Not rightly aimed. Spenser.
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misaligned (mĭsȧlīnd), a. Aligned improperly; not correctly aligned.
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misalignment (mĭsȧlīnm�nt), n. The act of aligning improperly or state of being improperly aligned.
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misallegation (?), n. A erroneous statement or allegation. Bp. Hall.
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misallege (?), v. t. To state erroneously.
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Misalliance (?), n. [F. mésalliance.] A marriage with a person of inferior rank or social station; an improper alliance; a mesalliance.
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A Leigh had made a misalliance, and blushed
A Howard should know it.
Mrs. Browning.
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Misallied (?), a. Wrongly allied or associated.
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Misallotment (?), n. A wrong allotment.
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Misalter (?), v. t. To alter wrongly; esp., to alter for the worse. Bp. Hall.
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misandrist (mĭsăndrĭst), n. one who hates men. Contrast and cf. .
Syn. -- man-hater.
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misandry (mĭsăndr�), n. [Gr. misei^n to hate + 'andhr a man.] Hatred of men. Contrast and cf. .
Syn. -- man-hating.
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misanthrope (mĭsănthrōp), n. [Gr. misanqrwpos; misei^n to hate + 'anqrwpos a man; cf. F. misanthrope. Cf. .] A hater of mankind; a misanthropist.
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{ Misanthropic (?), Misanthropical (?), } a. [Cf. F. misanthropique.] Hating or disliking mankind.
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Misanthropist (?), n. A misanthrope.
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Misanthropos (?), n. [NL. See .] A misanthrope. [Obs.] Shak.
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Misanthropy (?), n. [Gr. �: cf. F. misanthropie.] Hatred of, or dislike to, mankind; -- opposed to philanthropy. Orrery.
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Misapplication (?), n. A wrong application. Sir T. Browne.
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Misapply (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Misapplied (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Misapplying.] To apply wrongly; to use for a wrong purpose; as, to misapply a name or title; to misapply public money.
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Misappreciated (?), a. Improperly appreciated.
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Misapprehend (?), v. t. To take in a wrong sense; to misunderstand. Locke.
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Misapprehension (?), n. A mistaking or mistake; wrong apprehension of one's meaning of a fact; misconception; misunderstanding.
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Misapprehensively (?), adv. By, or with, misapprehension.
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Misappropriate (?), v. t. To appropriate wrongly; to use for a wrong purpose.
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misappropriated adj. taken for one's own use in violation of a trust.
Syn. -- embezzled.
[WordNet 1.5]
Misappropriation (?), n. Wrong appropriation; wrongful use.
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Misarrange (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Misarranged (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Misarranging (?).] To place in a wrong order, or improper manner.
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Misarrangement (?), n. Wrong arrangement.
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Misarcribe (?), v. t. To ascribe wrongly.
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Misassay (?), v. t. To assay, or attempt, improperly or unsuccessfully. [Obs.] W. Browne.
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Misassign (?), v. t. To assign wrongly.
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Misattend (?), v. t. To misunderstand; to disregard. [Obs.] Milton.
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Misaventure (?), n. Misadventure. [Obs.]
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Misavize (?), v. t. To misadvise. [Obs.]
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Misbear (?), v. t. To carry improperly; to carry (one's self) wrongly; to misbehave. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Misbecome (?), v. t. Not to become; to suit ill; not to befit or be adapted to. Macaulay.
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Thy father will not act what misbecomes him.
Addison.
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Misbecoming, a. Unbecoming. Milton. -- Misbecomingly, adv. -- Misbecomingness, n. Boyle.
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Misbede (?), v. t. [imp. Misbode (?); p. p. Misboden (?).] [AS. mis-beôdan.] To wrong; to do injury to. [Obs.]
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Who hath you misboden or offended?
Chaucer.
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Misbefitting (?), a. Not befitting.
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{ Misbegot (?), Misbegotten (�), } p. a. 1. Unlawfully or irregularly begotten; of bad or disreputable origin; pernicious. “Valor misbegot.” Shak.
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2. Poorly designed or planned; badly carried out; ill-conceived.
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Misbehave (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Misbehaved (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Misbehaving.] To behave ill; to conduct one's self improperly; -- often used with a reciprocal pronoun.
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Misbehaved (?), a. Guilty of ill behavior; illbred; rude. “A misbehaved and sullen wench.” Shak.
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Misbehavior (?), n. Improper, rude, or uncivil behavior; ill conduct. Addison.
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Misbelief (?), n. Erroneous or false belief.
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Misbelieve (�), v. i. To believe erroneously, or in a false religion. “That misbelieving Moor.” Shak.
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Misbeliever (?), n. One who believes wrongly; one who holds a false religion. Shak.
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Misbeseem (?), v. t. To suit ill.
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Misbestow (?), v. t. To bestow improperly.
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Misbestowal (?), n. The act of misbestowing.
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Misbileve (?), n. Misbelief; unbelief; suspicion. [Obs.] Chaucer.
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Misbode (?), imp. of .
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Misboden (?), p. p. of .
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Misborn (?), a. Born to misfortune. Spenser.
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Miscalculate (?), v. t. & i. 1. To calculate erroneously.
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2. To judge wrongly, especially about the effects of action or the likely course of events.
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miscalculation n. 1. a mistake in calculating.
Syn. -- misreckoning, misestimation.
[WordNet 1.5]
2. An error in judgment, especially about the effects of action or the likely course of events; as, IBM's miscalculation about the impact of microcomputers cost them many billions in lost opportunities; Sadam's invasion of Kuwait was only his worst, but not his last, miscalculation.
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Miscall (?), v. t. 1. To call by a wrong name; to name improperly.
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2. To call by a bad name; to abuse. [Obs.] Fuller.
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Miscarriage (?), n. 1. Unfortunate event or issue of an undertaking; failure to attain a proper or desired result or reach a destination; as, a serious miscarriage of justice.
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When a counselor, to save himself,
Would lay miscarriages upon his prince.
Dryden.
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2. Ill conduct; evil or improper behavior; as, the failings and miscarriages of the righteous. Rogers.
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3. The act of bringing forth a child before the time it is viable; a premature birth, resulting in death of the fetus; spontaneous abortion.
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Miscarriageable (?), a. Capable of miscarrying; liable to fail. [R.] Bp. Hall.
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Miscarry (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Miscarried (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Miscarrying.]
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1. To carry, or go, wrong; to fail of reaching a destination, or fail of the intended effect; to be unsuccessful; to suffer defeat.
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My ships have all miscarried.
Shak.
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The cardinal's letters to the pope miscarried.
Shak.
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2. To bring forth young before the time they are viable; to have a spontaneous abortion.
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Miscast (?), v. t. To cast or reckon wrongly.
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Miscast, n. An erroneous cast or reckoning.
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miscegenate v. to marry or cohabit with a person of another race.
[WordNet 1.5]
Miscegenation (?), n. [L. miscere to mix + the root of genus race.] A mixing of races; amalgamation, as by intermarriage of black and white. Until the late twentieth century, misceganation was a crime in some states of the Southern United States.
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Miscellanarian (?), a. [See .] Of or pertaining to miscellanies. Shaftesbury. -- n. A writer of miscellanies.
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Miscellane (?), n. [See , and cf. .] A mixture of two or more sorts of grain; -- now called maslin and meslin. Bacon.
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Miscellanea (?), n. pl. [L. See .] A collection of miscellaneous matters; matters of various kinds.
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Miscellaneous (?), a. [L. miscellaneus mixed, miscellaneous, fr. miscellus mixed, fr. miscere to mix. See , and cf. .] Mixed; mingled; consisting of several things; of diverse sorts; promiscuous; heterogeneous; as, a miscellaneous collection. “A miscellaneous rabble.” Milton. -- Miscellaneously, adv. -- Miscellaneousness, n.
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Miscellanist (?), n. A writer of miscellanies; miscellanarian.
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Miscellany (?), n.; pl. Miscellanies (#). [L. miscellanea, neut. pl. of. miscellaneus: cf. F. miscellanée, pl. miscellanées. See .] A mass or mixture of various things; a medley; esp., a collection of compositions on various subjects.
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'T is but a bundle or miscellany of sin; sins original, and sins actual.
Hewyt.
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Coloq. Miscellany madam , a woman who dealt in various fineries; a milliner. [Obs.] B. Jonson.
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