▪ I. misreˈport, n.
[mis-1 4.]
† 1. ‘Evil report’; unfavourable repute. Obs.
| 1412–20 Lydg. Chron. Troy ii. xix, Without spot of trespasse or of blame Of mysreporte in hyndrynge of our name. 1553 T. Wilson Rhet. 59 b, Any misreport or evil behavior of our party here tofore. 1589 Cooper Admon. 12 They..shall often light into..misliking of many, and thereby get misreport. 1697 Stillingfl. Disc. Trinity 42 The mis-report of him came from his zeal against Sabellianism. |
2. A false or erroneous report, as of the actions or character of a person.
| 1530 Palsgr. 585/1, I hynder ones promocion by my mysse reporte. 1535 Coverdale Num. xiv. 37 Because they brought vp a myszreporte of the lande that it was euell. a 1649 Drummond of Hawthornden Hist. Jas. II Wks. (1711) 26 The king at first was loth to lend an ear to misreports and calumnies of a man lately so well deserving. 1736 Carte Ormonde I. 312 The apprehension he lay under of those misreports. 1865 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. xviii. vi. VII. 193 An Aide-de-Camp made a small misnomer, misreport of one word, which was terribly important. 1901 A. Lang Magic & Relig. 44 If they are all misreports..what is the value of anthropological evidence? |
b. without article, in generalized use.
| 1535 Starkey Lett. p. xvii, Yf I had found truth in dede thes thyngys wych by mysreport ther wyth you were commynly sayd. 1581 Lambarde Eiren. ii. vii. (1602) 253 The one chargeth the other with words of misreport. 1660 N. Ingelo Bentiv. & Ur. i. (1682) 65 You may have receiv'd misreport concerning him. 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) VIII. 55 That I should..be the occasion..of widening differences by light misreport. |
▪ II. misreˈport, v.
[mis-1 1.]
1. trans. To report (a matter) erroneously; to give a false or imperfect account of (an event, statement, opinion, or the like).
| c 1430 Lydg. Compl. Bl. Knt. 605, I am worthy for to bere the blame If any thing here misreported be. 1592 Greene Conny Catch. iii. 25 This tale, because it was somewhat misreported before{ddd}is set downe now in true forme. a 1641 Bp. R. Montagu Acts & Mon. (1642) 230 He mis-reporteth Herods off-spring and descent. 1722 De Foe Plague Wks. (Bohn) V. 30 There has been heretofore much abuse in misreporting the disease. 1830 De Quincey Bentley Wks. 1857 VII. 60 His behaviour..scandalously misreported by Bennet. 1874 Motley John of Barneveld I. iv. 203 Villeroy had..been making mischief..by reporting and misreporting private conversations. |
† b. const. acc. with inf. or pres. pple. Obs.
| 1574 tr. Marlorat's Apocalips 39 [They] boast themselues to be professors of the true faythe, and misreport thee to folow a false doctrine. 1579 Fulke Heskins' Parl. 4 You misreport S. Peter being a Lord of the higher house. |
2. To give a false report or account of the statements or opinions of (a person).
| 1531 Latimer Let. to Baynton in Foxe A. & M. (1583) 1747/1 Christ himselfe was misreported, & falsely accused. 1675 Baxter Cath. Theol. II. i. 11 You wholly mistake and misreport us. 1699 Collier Def. Short View 127 He calls me an unfair Adversary, as if I had misreported him. 1862 Rawlinson Anc. Mon. Chald. I. viii. 215 The probability would seem to be, that Berosus has been misreported. |
† 3. To speak ill of; to slander. Obs.
| 1534 More Comf. agst. Trib. ii. Wks. 1209/2 Leste he should geue other folke occasion to..misreporte hym for an hypocryte. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. v. i. 148 A man that neuer yet Did (as he vouches) mis-report your Grace. 1625 in Ferguson & Nanson Munic. Rec. Carlisle (1887) 280 James Blaklocke..did misreport and slaunder the wife of Alexander Addle..in calling her shepe stealer. |
† 4. intr. To give a false report (of). Obs.
| 1572 Huloet, To misreporte of an other. 1579 W. Wilkinson Confut. Fam. Love 10 If to slaunder and misreport be a worke of righteousnesse. 1601 J. Wheeler Treat. Comm. 62 The doings, which..they..doe..misreport of. |
So misreˈported ppl. a., misreˈporting vbl. n.
| 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburge ii. 2014 Go forth litell boke, Iesu be thy spede And saue the alway from mysreportyng. 1607 Markham Caval. i. (1617) 20 It shall appeare great honor to our nation, and much shame to them who haue wrongd it with former misreportings. 1690 Locke Hum. Und. I. xxi. §62 The wrong Judgment that misleads us,..lies in misreporting upon the various Comparisons of these. 1846 Grote Greece i. xvi. I. 543 A misreported exaggerated and ornamented recital. |