📖 M — The English dictionary · page 34

misapprehension — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) A wrong idea or a misunderstanding about something.↗ Example: He was under the misapprehension that the shop was open.↗ · Many people have the misapprehension that bats are blind.↗ · Let me correct a misapprehension: the Moon has no light of its own.↗ · Toad was under the misapprehension that he was a great driver.↗ · The letter cleared up the misapprehension.↗ · Alice was under the misapprehension that she could still say her lessons.↗

misappropriation — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) Misappropriation is taking money or property that was trusted to you and using it wrongly for yourself; it is a kind of stealing.↗ Example: The treasurer was charged with misappropriation of funds.↗ · Misappropriation of the charity's money is a crime.↗ · An audit found misappropriation of 5,000 pounds.↗ · The manager denied any misappropriation.↗ · Spending the class fund on your own sweets would be misappropriation.↗ · Of 900 dollars raised, 200 was misappropriated; how much was used properly?↗

misbehave — Everyday, meaning 1: To misbehave means to behave badly, to be naughty or not follow the rules.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (informal) A machine that misbehaves does not work as it should.↗ e.g. "the printer is misbehaving again".↗ Example: If you misbehave, you'll miss break time.↗ · The puppy misbehaved and chewed my shoe.↗ · Two boys misbehaved on the school trip.↗ · My little brother always misbehaves when he's tired.↗ · The computer is misbehaving again.↗ · Nobody misbehaved during the assembly.↗

misbehaviour — Everyday, meaning 1: Bad behaviour; doing things you know are not allowed.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) Wrong or dishonest conduct, for example by an official.↗ Example: Misbehaviour in the lunch hall is not allowed.↗ · He lost his golden time for misbehaviour.↗ · The dog's misbehaviour got worse when it was bored.↗ · The teacher wrote to my parents about my misbehaviour.↗ · Any misbehaviour on the trip will be reported.↗ · Tiredness can cause misbehaviour in little children.↗

miscarriage — Everyday, meaning 1: When a baby growing inside its mother dies and comes out too early, long before it could live on its own.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (formal) A miscarriage of justice is when a court gets it wrong and punishes someone who did nothing wrong.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (formal, old) A failure of a plan, or a letter or parcel going to the wrong place.↗ Example: Mum had a miscarriage before my little brother was born.↗ · She was very sad after the miscarriage, so we made her a card.↗ · Doctors said nobody was to blame for the miscarriage.↗ · Locking up the wrong man was a miscarriage of justice.↗ · The newspaper called the trial a terrible miscarriage of justice.↗ · Talk about a miscarriage gently, because it hurts families.↗

miscarry — In Jewish tradition, meaning 1: To lose a baby before it is born; also, in old speech, to fail.↗ Example: None shall miscarry, nor be barren, in thy land; the number of thy days I will fulfil.↗ (Torah EXO.23.26, JPS 1917)↗ · Give them, O LORD, whatsoever Thou wilt give; give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.↗ (Prophets HOS.9.14, JPS 1917)↗ · And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast salt therein, and said: 'Thus saith the LORD: I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or miscarrying.'↗ (Prophets 2KI.2.21, JPS 1917)↗

mischance — Everyday, meaning 1: Mischance is bad luck, or an unlucky accident that happens by chance.↗ Example: By some mischance the vase fell and broke.↗ · The hikers lost their way through mischance.↗ · A small mischance spoiled our picnic.↗

mischief — Everyday, meaning 1: Mischief is naughty behaviour that is usually playful and not very harmful, like playing tricks.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Mischief can also mean harm or trouble caused on purpose.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: A wish to tease or play tricks, as in "a look of mischief".↗ Example: The puppy got into mischief and chewed my slippers.↗ · Grandma gave us jobs to keep us out of mischief.↗ · His eyes were full of mischief as he hid the teacher's chalk.↗ · The twins are always up to mischief.↗ · The goblins made mischief in the village every night.↗ · She gave me a look of mischief before pouring water on Dad.↗ · (formal) The rumours were spread to make mischief between the two families.↗ · His hands are always kept in mischief.↗ · And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were set on mischief, when they said: 'Ye shall not diminish aught from your bricks, your daily task.'↗ (Torah EXO.5.19, JPS 1917)↗ · Why dost Thou show me iniquity, and beholdest mischief?↗ (Prophets HAB.1.3, JPS 1917)↗ · For their heart studieth destruction, and their lips talk of mischief.↗ (Writings PRO.24.2, JPS 1917)↗ · They conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity, and their belly prepareth deceit.↗ (Writings JOB.15.35, JPS 1917)↗

mischievous — Everyday, meaning 1: Liking to play tricks and cause small trouble in a playful way: a mischievous puppy.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Showing that someone is planning a trick: a mischievous grin.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (formal) Meant to cause harm or trouble: a mischievous rumour.↗ Example: The mischievous kitten knocked the cup off the table.↗ · He gave a mischievous grin and hid my shoe.↗ · My little sister is very mischievous.↗ · The mischievous elf swapped everyone's hats.↗ · Monkeys can be mischievous and steal food.↗ · There was a mischievous twinkle in Grandad's eye.↗ · Someone spread a mischievous rumour about the school closing.↗ · He that deviseth to do evil, men shall call him a mischievous person.↗ (Writings PRO.24.8, JPS 1917)↗ · A evil-doer giveth heed to wicked lips; and a liar giveth ear to a mischievous tongue.↗ (Writings PRO.17.4, JPS 1917)↗

misconception — Everyday, meaning 1: A wrong idea or belief about something, often one that many people share because they misunderstood it.↗ Example: It is a common misconception that bats are blind.↗ · A misconception is that summer happens because Earth is closer to the Sun – it is really because of Earth's tilt.↗ · The teacher cleared up our misconception about fractions.↗ · It's a misconception that goldfish only remember for three seconds.↗ · Many people have misconceptions about wolves.↗ · «Multiplying always makes bigger» is a maths misconception: 6 × 0.5 = 3.↗ · We made a poster of science misconceptions.↗ · Lightning can strike the same place twice – the opposite is a misconception.↗

misconduct — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) Misconduct is bad or wrong behaviour, especially by a person at work or in a responsible job who breaks the rules.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (law, work) Gross misconduct is very serious wrong behaviour, such as stealing or violence at work, that can get someone sacked at once.↗ Example: The footballer was banned for misconduct.↗ · The worker lost his job for gross misconduct after stealing money.↗ · The doctor was investigated for professional misconduct.↗ · Cheating in the exam counts as misconduct.↗ · The club fined the player for misconduct towards the referee.↗ · Misconduct is when someone breaks the rules of their job.↗

miscount — Everyday, meaning 1: To count wrongly; to make a mistake when counting.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (noun) A wrong count, especially of votes: «There was a miscount in the election».↗ Example: I miscounted the sweets and gave myself one extra.↗ · The teacher miscounted and thought someone was missing.↗ · There was a miscount, so they counted the votes again.↗ · Tick each one so you don't miscount.↗ · She miscounted the stitches in her knitting.↗ · If you miscount by one, the whole pattern goes wrong.↗ · The referee miscounted the substitutes.↗ · We miscounted the days until the holiday – it's actually ten!↗ · ‘The Seagull must have miscounted,’ thought he, and he paid for his beer.↗

miscreant — Everyday, meaning 1: A miscreant is a wicked person or a villain who does bad deeds.↗ Example: The miscreants stole the king's gold.↗ · The guards chased the miscreant through the town.↗ · The miscreants saw their chance and crept into the house.↗

misdeed — Everyday, meaning 1: (formal) A wrong or bad action, especially a crime or a breaking of rules.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Something naughty or wicked that a person has done.↗ Example: The king was punished for his misdeeds.↗ · The pirate confessed his misdeeds before he died.↗ · Everyone has small misdeeds they regret.↗ · In the story, the boy owns up to his misdeed and says sorry.↗ · The newspaper reported the company's misdeeds.↗ · Christians believe God forgives misdeeds when people are truly sorry.↗ · The weak are made to suffer for the misdeeds of the powerful.↗ · O LORD our God, Thou didst answer them; a forgiving God wast Thou unto them, though Thou tookest vengeance of their misdeeds.↗ (Writings PSA.99.8, JPS 1917)↗

misdirection — Everyday, meaning 1: Making people look at or think about the wrong thing so they don't notice what is really happening, used by magicians and tricksters.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Sending someone the wrong way or giving wrong instructions.↗ Example: The magician used misdirection to hide the coin.↗ · While he talked, his other hand did the trick – that's misdirection.↗ · Mystery stories use misdirection to surprise readers.↗ · The scammer's email used misdirection to get people to click.↗ · Pickpockets use misdirection to steal wallets.↗ · A wrong road sign caused a lot of misdirection.↗

misdo — Everyday, meaning 1: (rare, old use) To do something wrongly or badly.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: (rare, old use) To do wrong; to behave badly.↗ Example: To misdo a task is to do it wrongly.↗ · The old book said he would never misdo again.↗ · The villain's misdoings were found out at last.↗ · «I have misdone,» confessed the knight.↗ · If you misdo the steps, the cake will not rise.↗ · Her misdoings were forgiven by the village.↗

miser — Everyday, meaning 1: A miser is a person who hoards money and hates to spend it, even when he has plenty.↗ Example: The miser counted his coins every night.↗ · Don't be a miser; share your sweets.↗ · The miser hid his gold under the floor.↗

miserable — Everyday, meaning 1: Miserable means very unhappy.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Miserable describes something unpleasant that makes you unhappy, such as miserable weather.↗ Everyday, meaning 3: Miserable describes something very small or poor, as in a miserable amount.↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (UK, informal) A miserable person is grumpy and never cheerful, as in a miserable old man.↗ Example: I felt miserable when I lost my dog.↗ · It's a miserable, rainy day.↗ · Cinderella was miserable doing all the chores.↗ · We got a miserable two points in the quiz.↗ · Don't be so miserable, cheer up!↗ · The cold, miserable camp made everyone want to go home.↗ · Left alone, Jenik felt very miserable.↗

miserably — Everyday, meaning 1: In a very unhappy or wretched way; sadly and with misery.↗ Example: The puppy whined miserably in the rain.↗ · He sat miserably on the step after losing.↗ · They lived miserably in a damp cottage.↗

miserly — Everyday, meaning 1: Miserly means very unwilling to spend money or share things; stingy.↗ Example: Simon was rich but would not buy his children a single treat.↗ · A miserly king counted his gold every night and gave none to the poor.↗ · Do not be miserly with your sweets; share them.↗ · The miserly farmer never paid the workers on time.↗

misery — Everyday, meaning 1: Great unhappiness or suffering, in body or mind.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: Very poor and hard living conditions: «they lived in misery».↗ Everyday, meaning 3: (UK, informal) A person who is always grumpy and complaining: «Don't be such a misery!».↗ Everyday, meaning 4: (idioms) «make someone's life a misery» (keep upsetting them); «put an animal out of its misery» (kill it kindly to end its suffering); «put someone out of their misery» (tell them news they are anxious to hear).↗ Example: The war brought misery to millions of people.↗ · The bully made her life a misery.↗ · Don't be such a misery – come and play!↗ · Come on, put me out of my misery and tell me the score!↗ · The flood left the town in misery.↗ · Grandad calls my brother a «misery guts» when he sulks.↗ · Toothache is pure misery.↗ · Charity groups work to end the misery of hunger.↗ · Save my child from all that misery!↗ · Misery, or an evil end, or simply evil, ROH.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1893)↗ · Happiness is reserved for the just, and misery for the wicked ones.↗ (Sefer Yetzirah, Westcott 1887)↗ · Let him drink, and forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more.↗ (Writings PRO.31.7, JPS 1917)↗ · For thou shalt forget thy misery; thou shalt remember it as waters that are passed away; (Writings JOB.11.16, JPS 1917)↗ · Wherewith is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul — (Writings JOB.3.20, JPS 1917)↗

misfortune — Everyday, meaning 1: Misfortune is bad luck.↗ Everyday, meaning 2: A misfortune is an unlucky or bad event that happens to someone.↗ Example: The farmer had the misfortune of losing his crops in a flood.↗ · The story tells of a boy's many misfortunes.↗ · It was a misfortune that the bus broke down.↗ · Don't laugh at other people's misfortune.↗ · She bore her misfortune bravely.↗ · One misfortune followed another on the trip.↗ · Learn from the misfortunes of others.↗ · The wicked is thrust down in his misfortune; but the righteous, even when he is brought to death, hath hope.↗ (Writings PRO.14.32, JPS 1917)↗

misgiving — Everyday, meaning 1: A misgiving is a worry or doubt that something will go wrong, or that a plan is not a good idea.↗ Example: She had misgivings about the dark forest.↗ · He felt some misgiving as the boat left the shore.↗ · I have no misgivings about the trip; it will be fun.↗ · Her misgivings grew when the road turned to mud.↗