Miscellany - Misericordia

Prev Next

Miscellany (mĭssĕll�n�), a. Miscellaneous; heterogeneous. [Obs.] Bacon.
[ Webster]

Miscensure (?), v. t. To misjudge. [Obs.] Daniel. -- n. Erroneous judgment. [Obs.] Sylvester.
[ Webster]

Mischance (?), n. [OE. meschance, OF. mescheance.] Ill luck; ill fortune; mishap. Chaucer.
[ Webster]

Never come mischance between us twain. Shak.
[ Webster]

Syn. -- Calamity; misfortune; misadventure; mishap; infelicity; disaster. See .
[ Webster]

Mischance, v. i. To happen by mischance. Spenser.
[ Webster]

Mischanceful (?), a. Unlucky. R. Browning.
[ Webster]

Mischaracterize (?), v. t. To characterize falsely or erroneously; to give a wrong character to.
[ Webster]

They totally mischaracterize the action. Eton.
[ Webster]

Mischarge (?), v. t. To charge erroneously, as in an account. -- n. A mistake in charging.
[ Webster]

Mischief (mĭschĭf), n. [OE. meschef bad result, OF. meschief; pref. mes- (L. minus less) + chief end, head, F. chef chief. See , and .]
[ Webster]

1. Harm; damage; esp., disarrangement of order; trouble or vexation caused by human agency or by some living being, intentionally or not; often, calamity, mishap; trivial evil caused by thoughtlessness, or in sport. Chaucer.
[ Webster]

Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs. Ps. lii. 2.
[ Webster]

The practice whereof shall, I hope, secure me from many mischiefs. Fuller.
[ Webster]

2. Cause of trouble or vexation; trouble. Milton.
[ Webster]

The mischief was, these allies would never allow that the common enemy was subdued. Swift.
[ Webster]

Coloq. To be in mischief , to be doing harm or causing annoyance. -- Coloq. To make mischief , to do mischief, especially by exciting quarrels. -- Coloq. To play the mischief , to cause great harm; to throw into confusion. [Colloq.]
[ Webster]

Syn. -- Damage; harm; hurt; injury; detriment; evil; ill. -- , , . Damage is an injury which diminishes the value of a thing; harm is an injury which causes trouble or inconvenience; mischief is an injury which disturbs the order and consistency of things. We often suffer damage or harm from accident, but mischief always springs from perversity or folly.
[ Webster]

Mischief, v. t. To do harm to. [Obs.] Milton.
[ Webster]

Mischiefable (?), a. Mischievous. [R.] Lydgate.
[ Webster]

Mischiefful (?), a. Mischievous. [Obs.] Foote.
[ Webster]

Mischief-maker (?), n. One who makes mischief; one who excites or instigates quarrels or enmity.
[ Webster]

Mischief-making, a. Causing harm; exciting enmity or quarrels. Rowe. -- n. The act or practice of making mischief, inciting quarrels, etc.
[ Webster]

Mischievous (mĭsch�vŭs), a. Causing mischief; harmful; hurtful; -- now often applied where the evil is done carelessly or in sport; as, a mischievous child. “Most mischievous foul sin.” Shak.
[ Webster]

This false, wily, doubling disposition is intolerably mischievous to society. South.
[ Webster]

Syn. -- Harmful; hurtful; detrimental; noxious; pernicious; destructive.
[ Webster]

-- Mischievously, adv. -- Mischievousness, n.
[ Webster]

Mischna (?), n. See .
[ Webster]

Mischnic (?), a. See .
[ Webster]

Mischoose (?), v. t. [imp. Mischose (?); p. p. Mischosen (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Mischoosing.] To choose wrongly. Milton.
[ Webster]

Mischoose, v. i. To make a wrong choice.
[ Webster]

Mischristen (?), v. t. To christen wrongly.
[ Webster]

Miscibility (?), n. [Cf. F. miscibilité.] Capability of being mixed.
[ Webster]

Miscible (?), a. [Cf. F. miscible, fr. L. miscere to mix.] Capable of being mixed; mixable. Burke.
[ Webster]

2. (Chem.) Mixable in all proportions; forming a single phase when mixed in any proportion; -- of liquids; as, water and alcohol are miscible in all proportions; water and gasoline are not miscible; benzene and ethyl alcohol are miscible, and ethyl alcohol is miscible with water, but water is not miscible with benzene..
[ Webster +PJC]

Miscitation (?), n. Erroneous citation.
[ Webster]

Miscite, v. t. To cite erroneously.
[ Webster]

Misclaim (?), n. A mistaken claim.
[ Webster]

Miscognizant (?), a. (Law) Not cognizant; ignorant; not knowing.
[ Webster]

Miscognize (?), v. t. To fail to apprehend; to misunderstand. [Obs.] Holland.
[ Webster]

Miscollocation (?), n. Wrong collocation. De Quincey.
[ Webster]

Miscolor (?), v. t. To give a wrong color to.
[ Webster]

2. [figuratively] To set forth erroneously or unfairly; to misrepresent; as, to miscolor facts. C. Kingsley.
[ Webster]

Miscomfort (?), n. Discomfort. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Miscomprehend (?), v. t. To get a wrong idea of or about; to misunderstand.
[ Webster]

Miscomputation (?), n. Erroneous computation; false reckoning.
[ Webster]

Miscompute (?), v. t. [Cf. .] To compute erroneously. Sir T. Browne.
[ Webster]

Misconceit (?), n. Misconception. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Misconceive (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Misconceived (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Misconceiving.] To conceive wrongly; to interpret incorrectly; to receive a false notion of; to misunderstand; to misjudge; to misapprehend.
[ Webster]

Those things which, for want of due consideration heretofore, they have misconceived. Hooker.
[ Webster]

Syn. -- To misapprehend; misunderstand; mistake.
[ Webster]

Misconceiver (?), n. One who misconceives.
[ Webster]

Misconception (?), n. Erroneous conception; false opinion; wrong understanding. Harvey.
[ Webster]

Misconclusion (?), n. An erroneous inference or conclusion. Bp. Hall.
[ Webster]

Misconduct (?), n. 1. Wrong conduct; bad behavior; mismanagement. Addison.
[ Webster]

2. Unlawful or unethical conduct by a person holding a public office or having a position of responsibility in the administration of justice; malfeasance; as, discussing the case out of court during a trial is misconduct by a juror; especially, misuse of office by an elected or appointed government official, also called misconduct in office.
[PJC]

Syn. -- Misbehavior; misdemeanor; mismanagement; misdeed; delinquency; offense.
[ Webster]

Misconduct (?), v. t. To conduct amiss; to mismanage. Johnson.
[ Webster]

Coloq. To misconduct one's self , to behave improperly.
[ Webster]

Misconduct, v. i. To behave amiss.
[ Webster]

Misconfident (?), a. Having a mistaken confidence; wrongly trusting. [R.] Bp. Hall.
[ Webster]

Misconjecture (?; 135), n. A wrong conjecture or guess. Sir T. Browne.
[ Webster]

Misconjecture (?), v. t. & i. To conjecture wrongly.
[ Webster]

Misconsecrate (?), v. t. To consecrate amiss. “Misconsecrated flags.” Bp. Hall.
[ Webster]

Misconsecration, n. Wrong consecration.
[ Webster]

Misconsequence (?), n. A wrong consequence; a false deduction.
[ Webster]

Misconstruable (?), a. Such as can be misconstrued, as language or conduct. R. North.
[ Webster]

Misconstruct (?), v. t. To construct wrongly; to construe or interpret erroneously.
[ Webster]

Misconstruction (?), n. Erroneous construction; wrong interpretation. Bp. Stillingfleet.
[ Webster]

Misconstrue (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Misconstrued (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Misconstruing.] To construe wrongly; to interpret erroneously.
[ Webster]

Do not, great sir, misconstrue his intent. Dryden.
[ Webster]

Much afflicted to find his actions misconstrued. Addison.
[ Webster]

Misconstruer (?), n. One who misconstrues.
[ Webster]

Miscontent (?), a. Discontent. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Miscontinuance (?), n. (Law) Discontinuance; also, continuance by undue process.
[ Webster]

Miscopy (?), v. t. To copy amiss.
[ Webster]

Miscopy, n. A mistake in copying. North Am. Rev.
[ Webster]

Miscorrect (?), v. t. To fail or err in attempting to correct. “Scaliger miscorrects his author.” Dryden.
[ Webster]

Miscounsel (?), v. t. To counsel or advise wrongly.
[ Webster]

Miscount (?), v. t. & i. [Cf. OF. mesconter, F. mécompter. Cf. .] To count erroneously.
[ Webster]

Miscount, n. [Cf. F. mécompte error, OF. mesconte.] 1. An erroneous counting.
[ Webster]

2. Specifically: An erroneous count of ballots cast in an election.
[PJC]

Miscovet (?), v. t. To covet wrongfully. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

{ Miscreance (?), Miscreancy (?), } n. [OF. mescreance, F. mécréance incredulity.] The quality of being miscreant; adherence to a false religion; false faith. [Obs.] Ayliffe.
[ Webster]

Miscreant (?), n. [OF. mescreant, F. mécréant; pref. mes- (L. minus less) + p. pr. fr. L. credere to believe. See .]
[ Webster]

1. One who holds a false religious faith; a misbeliever. [Obs.] Spenser. De Quincey.
[ Webster]

Thou oughtest not to be slothful to the destruction of the miscreants, but to constrain them to obey our Lord God. Rivers.
[ Webster]

2. One not restrained by Christian principles; an unscrupulous villain; a depraved person; a vile wretch. Addison.

Miscreant, a. 1. Holding a false religious faith.
[ Webster]

2. Destitute of conscience; unscrupulous; villainous; base; depraved. Pope.
[ Webster +PJC]

Miscreate (?), a. Miscreated; illegitimate; forged; as, miscreate titles. [Obs. or Poet.] Shak.
[ Webster]

Miscreate (?), v. t. To create badly or amiss.
[ Webster]

Miscreated (?), a. Formed unnaturally or illegitimately; deformed. Spenser. Milton.
[ Webster]

Miscreative, a. Creating amiss. [R.]
[ Webster]

Miscredent (?), n. [Pref. mis- + credent. Cf. .] A miscreant, or believer in a false religious doctrine. [Obs.] Holinshed.
[ Webster]

Miscredulity (?), n. Wrong credulity or belief; misbelief. Bp. Hall.
[ Webster]

Miscue (?), n. 1. (Billiards) A false stroke with a billiard cue, the cue slipping from the ball struck without impelling it as desired.
[ Webster]

2. Hence: To make a mistake; especially to fail to execute a necessary or expected action at the proper time, such as making a play in sports, or saying one's line in a drama.
[PJC]

Misdate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Misdated; p. pr. & vb. n. Misdating.] 1. To put a false or erroneous date on (a document). Young.
[ Webster]

2. To assign an incorrect date to; as, the fall of Troy was misdated by medieval writers.
[PJC]

misdating n. The assignment of a date to something at a time when it could not have existed or occurred.
Syn. -- anachronism, mistiming.
[WordNet 1.5]

Misdeal (?), v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. Misdealt (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Misdealing.] To deal or distribute wrongly, as cards; to make a wrong distribution.
[ Webster]

Misdeal, n. The act of misdealing; a wrong distribution of cards to the players.
[ Webster]

Misdeed (?), n. [AS. misdǣd. See , n.] An evil deed; a wicked action.
[ Webster]

Evils which our own misdeeds have wrought. Milton.
[ Webster]

Syn. -- Misconduct; misdemeanor; fault; offense; trespass; transgression; crime.
[ Webster]

Misdeem (?), v. t. To misjudge. [Obs.] Milton.
[ Webster]

Misdemean (?), v. t. To behave ill; -- with a reflexive pronoun; as, to misdemean one's self.
[ Webster]

Misdemeanant (?), n. One guilty of a misdemeanor. Sydney Smith.
[ Webster]

Misdemeanor (?), n. 1. Ill behavior; evil conduct; fault. Shak.
[ Webster]

2. (Law) A crime less than a felony. Wharton.
[ Webster]

☞ As a rule, in the old English law, offenses capitally punishable were felonies; all other indictable offenses were misdemeanors. In common usage, the word crime is employed to denote the offenses of a deeper and more atrocious dye, while small faults and omissions of less consequence are comprised under the gentler name of misdemeanors. Blackstone.

The distinction, however, between felonies and misdemeanors is purely arbitrary, and is in most jurisdictions either abrogated or so far reduced as to be without practical value. Cf. . Wharton.
[ Webster]

Syn. -- Misdeed; misconduct; misbehavior; fault; trespass; transgression.
[ Webster]

Misdempt (?), obs. p. p. of . Spenser.
[ Webster]

Misdepart (?), v. t. To distribute wrongly. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

He misdeparteth riches temporal. Chaucer.
[ Webster]

Misderive (?), v. t. 1. To turn or divert improperly; to misdirect. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
[ Webster]

2. To derive erroneously.
[ Webster]

Misdescribe (?), v. t. To describe wrongly.
[ Webster]

Misdesert, n. Ill desert. [Obs.] Spenser.
[ Webster]

Misdevotion (?), n. Mistaken devotion.
[ Webster]

Misdiet (?), n. Improper diet. [Obs.] Spenser.
[ Webster]

Misdiet, v. t. To diet improperly.
[ Webster]

Misdight (?), a. Arrayed, prepared, or furnished, unsuitably. [Archaic] Bp. Hall.
[ Webster]

Misdirect (?), v. t. To give a wrong direction to; as, to misdirect a passenger, or a letter; to misdirect one's energies. Shenstone.
[ Webster]

Misdirection (?), n. 1. The act of directing wrongly, or the state of being so directed.
[ Webster]

2. (Law) An error of a judge in charging the jury on a matter of law. Mozley & W.
[ Webster]

3. The direction of another's attention to an unimportant place or matter, for the purpose of being able to perform an action undetected; as, misdirection is an important part of a magician's art.
[PJC]

Misdisposition (?), n. Erroneous disposal or application. Bp. Hall.
[ Webster]

Misdistinguish (?), v. t. To make wrong distinctions in or concerning. Hooker.
[ Webster]

Misdivide (?), v. t. To divide wrongly.
[ Webster]

Misdivision (?), n. Wrong division.
[ Webster]

Misdo (mĭsd�), v. t. [imp. Misdid (?); p. p. Misdone (mĭsdŭn); p. pr. & vb. n. Misdoing.] [AS. misdōn. See , v.]
[ Webster]

1. To do wrongly.
[ Webster]

Afford me place to show what recompense
Towards thee I intend for what I have misdone. Milton.
[ Webster]

2. To do wrong to; to illtreat. [Obs.] Chaucer.
[ Webster]

Misdo, v. i. To do wrong; to commit a fault.
[ Webster]

I have misdone, and I endure the smart. Dryden.
[ Webster]

Misdoer, n. A wrongdoer. Spenser.
[ Webster]

Misdoing, n. A wrong done; a fault or crime; an offense; as, it was my misdoing.
[ Webster]

Misdoubt (?), v. t. & i. To be suspicious of; to have suspicion. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

I do not misdoubt my wife. Shak.
[ Webster]

Misdoubt, n. 1. Suspicion. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

2. Irresolution; hesitation. [Obs.] Shak.
[ Webster]

Misdoubtful (?), a Misgiving; hesitating. [Obs.] “Her misdoubtful mind.” Spenser.
[ Webster]

Misdread (?), n. Dread of evil. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Mise (?), n. [F. mise a putting, setting, expense, fr. mis, mise, p. p. of mettre to put, lay, fr. LL. mittere to send.]
[ Webster]

1. (Law) The issue in a writ of right.
[ Webster]

2. Expense; cost; disbursement. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

3. A tax or tallage; in Wales, an honorary gift of the people to a new king or prince of Wales; also, a tribute paid, in the country palatine of Chester, England, at the change of the owner of the earldom. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Misease (?), n. [OE. mesaise, OF. mesaise.] Want of ease; discomfort; misery. [Obs.] Chaucer.
[ Webster]

Miseased (?), a. Having discomfort or misery; troubled. [Obs.] Chaucer.
[ Webster]

Miseasy (?), a. Not easy; painful. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Misedition (?), n. An incorrect or spurious edition. [Obs.] Bp. Hall.
[ Webster]

Miseducate (?; 135), v. t. To educate in a wrong manner.
[ Webster]

Misemploy (?), v. t. To employ amiss; as, to misemploy time, advantages, talents, etc.
[ Webster]

Their frugal father's gains they misemploy. Dryden.
[ Webster]

Misemployment (?), n. Wrong or mistaken employment. Johnson.
[ Webster]

Misenter (?), v. t. To enter or insert wrongly, as a charge in an account.
[ Webster]

Misentreat (?), v. t. To treat wrongfully. [Obs.] Grafton.
[ Webster]

Misentry (?), n. An erroneous entry or charge, as of an account.
[ Webster]

Miser (mīzẽr), n. [L. miser wretched, miserable; cf. Gr. mi^sos hate, misei^n to hate: cf. It. & Sp. misero wretched, avaricious.]
[ Webster]

1. A wretched person; a person afflicted by any great misfortune. [Obs.] Spenser.
[ Webster]

The woeful words of a miser now despairing. Sir P. Sidney.
[ Webster]

2. A despicable person; a wretch. [Obs.] Shak.
[ Webster]

3. A covetous, grasping, mean person; esp., one having wealth, who lives miserably for the sake of saving and increasing his hoard.
[ Webster]

As some lone miser, visiting his store,
Bends at his treasure, counts, recounts it o'er. Goldsmith.
[ Webster]

4. A stingy person; one very reluctant to spend money.
[PJC]

5. A kind of large earth auger. Knight.
[ Webster]

Miserable (?), a. [F. misérable, L. miserabilis, fr. miserari to lament, pity, fr. miser wretched. See .]
[ Webster]

1. Very unhappy; wretched; living in misery.
[ Webster]

What hopes delude thee, miserable man? Dryden.
[ Webster]

2. Causing unhappiness or misery.
[ Webster]

What 's more miserable than discontent? Shak.
[ Webster]

3. Worthless; mean; despicable; as, a miserable fellow; a miserable dinner.
[ Webster]

Miserable comforters are ye all. Job xvi. 2.
[ Webster]

4. Avaricious; niggardly; miserly. [Obs.] Hooker.
[ Webster]

Syn. -- Abject; forlorn; pitiable; wretched.
[ Webster]

Miserable, n. A miserable person. [Obs.] Sterne.
[ Webster]

Miserableness, n. The state or quality of being miserable.
[ Webster]

Miserably, adv. In a miserable; unhappily; calamitously; wretchedly; meanly.
[ Webster]

They were miserably entertained. Sir P. Sidney.
[ Webster]

The fifth was miserably stabbed to death. South.
[ Webster]

Miseration (?), n. Commiseration. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

Miserere (?), n. [L., have mercy, fr. misereri to have mercy, fr. miser. See .]
[ Webster]

1. (R. C. Ch.) The psalm usually appointed for penitential acts, being the 50th psalm in the Latin version. It commences with the word miserere.
[ Webster]

2. A musical composition adapted to the 50th psalm.
[ Webster]

Where only the wind signs miserere. Lowell.
[ Webster]

3. (Arch.) A small projecting boss or bracket, on the under side of the hinged seat of a church stall (see ). It was intended, the seat being turned up, to give some support to a worshiper when standing. Called also misericordia.
[ Webster]

4. (Med.) Same as .
[ Webster]

Misericorde (?), n. [F. miséricorde. See .]
[ Webster]

1. Compassion; pity; mercy. [Obs.]
[ Webster]

2. (Anc. Armor.) Same as , 2.
[ Webster]

Misericordia (?), n. [L., mercy, compassion; miser wretched + cor, cordis, heart.]
[ Webster]

1. (O. Law) An amercement. Burrill.
[ Webster]

2. (Anc. Armor.) A thin-bladed dagger; so called, in the Middle Ages, because used to give the death wound or “mercy” stroke to a fallen adversary.
[ Webster]

3. (Eccl.) An indulgence as to food or dress granted to a member of a religious order. Shipley.
[ Webster]

Prev Next

Concept Explore Home

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z