▪ I. mis-, prefix1
(mɪs)
(also 1 (rare), 2–7 miss-, 3–6 misse-, mysse-, 3–7 mys-, 4–5 mes-),
represents OE. mis- = OFris., OS. mis- (MDu. mis(se)-, mes(se)-, Du. mis-), OHG. missa-, missi-, misse-, mes- (MHG. mis(se)-, G. miss-), ON. mis-, Goth. missa- (in missadêþs misdeed, missaleiks different, various, see mislich, and missaqiss ‘speaking diversely’, disagreement, tr. Gr. σχίσµα):—OTeut. *misso- (whence *missjan miss v.), repr. a pre-Teut. formation with ppl. suffix -to on a root ending with a dental. The adj. *misso- seems to have had two senses: (1) divergent, astray, (2) mutual, alternate (cf. Goth. missō mutually). The first of these supports the identification of the root with the Teut. *mī̆þ- to avoid, conceal (see mithe v.); the two senses may be accounted for by the supposition that the primitive notion expressed by the root was that of difference or change. Phonologically, the Teut. root might represent a pre-Teut. form either with t or th. On the former view, some scholars regard it as cogn. w. L. mittĕre to send, let go; but the sense seems too remote. On the other assumption, it would be cognate with Skr. mith ‘to meet as friend or antagonist, alternate, engage in altercation’ (M. Williams), mithu ‘alternately, falsely, wrongly’, mithas ‘mutually, reciprocally, alternately’, mithya ‘invertedly, contrarily, incorrectly, wrongly’; cf. OSl. mitě, mitusĭ alternately. The root *meith- in these words is by some regarded as an extension of *mei- to change: see mean a.1
In OE. and ME. MSS. the compounds of mis- (as of other prefixes) are written sometimes as two words, sometimes continuously, the hyphen being never used. From the 16th c. onwards the compounds are regularly printed as one word, with or without the hyphen, which becomes, however, less and less frequent, and is now employed chiefly in new or rarely-used formations, and in words like mis-say or mis-cite, where its omission would tend to disguise the identity of the compound or suggest a wrong pronunciation. (In Sir T. More's Works 1557, the spelling of the compounds as two distinct words was retained, e.g. misse remember, mysse rule.) The spellings mispel, mispend, etc. for mis-spell, mis-spend, etc. were once common and are found as late as the end of the 18th century.
The predominant meaning of the prefix in English, as in the other Teutonic languages, is that of ‘amiss’, ‘wrong(ly)’, ‘bad(ly)’, ‘improper(ly)’, ‘perverse(ly)’, ‘mistaken(ly)’, and this is the only one now recognized in the formation of new compounds. But even in OE. there are instances of its use as a mere negative prefix and also as a pejorative intensive with words of sinister meaning (see 7 and 8 below).
In early ME. a great extension of the use of the prefix took place, mis- being freely combined with words of indigenous and of foreign origin alike. Many of the new compounds appear to have been suggested by French formations with mes- (see mis-2); thus we have misbelieve after OF. mescreire (mod. mécroire), misfortune and mishap after OF. mescheance (see mischance); a word like misjudge has prob. a double origin, being partly of native formation, and partly an adaptation of OF. mesjuger. The most prolific period for the formation of mis- compounds was the 17th c., to which a considerable number of those illustrated in this article belong; Bacon, Donne, and Bp. Hall are noteworthy as employing them largely. They still continue to be formed with considerable freedom, but in certain cases ill- and mal- are now preferred where writers of earlier periods would have preferred mis-.
In the ME. period mis- became to some extent a separable prefix; thus we have inumen mis and misnumen, don mis and misdon, seyn mis and misseyn, side by side. (See further under mis a. and adv.) Even as late as the 16th c., the prefix was sometimes co-ordinated with an adj. or adv., as in the example very erroniouse and misopinions (see misopinion). A related phenomenon, of which an instance is found as late as the 17th c., consists in the dropping of the prefix before the second of two compounds coupled together, e.g. ich abbe misseien mid eᵹen, mid mine eren iherd (Lamb. Hom. p. 189), myslyuyng and techynge (Wyclif), mis gyed and led, yee mis happe and cheeue (Hoccleve), for thou hast mis-said or done (J. Davies Ecl. 1614).
In OE. mis- was prefixed to verbs, active and passive participles, nouns of action and condition, and adjectives. In ME. its composition with agent-nouns and adverbs followed as a matter of course, and the principle of prefixing it to any word of the above classes, existing either actually or potentially, became soon established. Hence, in a group of formally related words such as misrepresent vb., misrepresentation, misrepresentative adj. and n., misrepresentatively adv., misrepresenter, misrepresenting vbl. n. and ppl. a., it is possible (unless there is historical evidence to the contrary) that each member may have been formed independently of any of the others.
All those compounds of mis- with respect to which there is evidence of a continuous history during any period, or which belong to a group, are treated in their alphabetical places. Those illustrated in the present article are for the most part nonce-words of obvious meaning.
1. Prefixed to verbs, with the meaning ‘amiss’, ‘badly’, ‘wrongly’, ‘perversely’, ‘mistakenly’.
In OE. about 40 of such compounds are recorded, of which less than half are represented in ME. or mod.E. (see misbede, misdo, misfare, misfere, mislead, mislike, etc.).
As now apprehended, the prefix normally implies not censure of the act itself, but only of its manner. With this restriction, nonce-words may be formed very freely. In the 17th c. the use was much wider, and many of the formations of that period would now be inadmissible.
| 1603 Florio Montaigne ii. xii. 284 *Missacknowledging [F. mescognoissant] both himselfe and his labours. |
| 1657 J. Watts Vind. Ch. Eng. 53, I am mistaken, and have *misadded. 1709 Strype Ann. Ref. v. 89 The Bp. of Carlile on the Papists side, and Sandys on that of the Protestants are misadded to the aforesaid Disputants. |
| 1641 Bp. Hall Answ. Vind. Smectymnuus §2. 19 These are all..which have so *mis-altered the Leiturgie, that it can no more be known to be itself then [etc.]. |
| 1873 F. Hall Mod. Eng. App. 344 note, He *misanalysed is being built into is being + built. |
| 1611 Cotgr., Mesarriver, to *misarrive, to happen, or come vnfortunately vnto. |
| 1636 Sanderson Serm. (1681) II. 64 To mis-judge and *mis-asperse those that are set over them. |
| 1614 J. Davies Ecl. in Browne Sheph. Pipe G 3, Hast thou any sheep-cure *mis-assaid? |
| a 1849 J. C. Mangan Poems (1859) 375 Thus all too mournfully *mis-atoning For that black ruin his word had made. |
| 1900 Blackw. Mag. Apr. 492/2 [Disraeli] to whom completely opposite proclivities have been *misattributed. |
| 1646 Prynne Susp. Susp. Ep. Ded., Having neither any private interest nor design to *misbyas my judgment. |
| 1638 Mayne Lucian (1664) 354 As if we *misbusied our selves in a vain, womanish exercise. a 1631 *Miscanonize [see mischristen]. |
| 1624 Donne Devot. (ed. 2) 127 They had mis-placed, *mis-centred their hopes. |
| 1798 W. Eton Survey Turkish Empire Pref. xii, They are generally..related..with circumstances which so totally *mischaracterise the action, that [etc.]. |
| 1611 Florio, Misuenire..to mischance or *miscom. |
| 1624 Bp. Hall True Peace Maker in Var. Treat. (1627) 540 If either the superiors *miscommand, or the inferiors disobey. |
| 1615 Sylvester Job Triumph. i. 518 Remit, O Lord, what I have ill omitted: Remove (alas!) what I have *mis-committed. |
| 1605 Timme Quersit. ii. vii. 138 Thou shalt not *miscompare that..to dead coales. |
| 1615 Sylvester Job Triumph. iv. 256 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain: And voyd of knowledge, yet, yet, *mis-complain. |
| 1898 T. Hardy Wessex Poems 12 Grieved that lives so matched should *miscompose. |
| 1579 Lodge Def. Plays 8 Your day owl hath *misconned his parte. |
| 1847 Bushnell Chr. Nurture viii. (1861) 214 We are to see that we do not *miscondition the state of childhood. |
| 1583 Golding Calvin on Deut. xxxi. 184 Wee doe *misconsider our owne frailetie when we desire that God shoulde worke miracles dayly. |
| a 1656 Bp. Hall Let. Parænetical Rem. Wks. (1660) 400 An old Church,..*mis⁓daubed with some untempered..morter. |
| 1877 M. Arnold Sonnet, Divinity Poems I. 261 God's wisdom and God's goodness!—Ay, but fools *Mis-define these till God knows them no more. |
| 1613 Bp. Hall Holy Panegyrick Wks. (1625) 474 One God, one King, was the acclamation of those ancient Christians: and yet it was *mis-desired of the Israelites. |
| 1610 Donne Pseudo-martyr 14 That the Romane Religion doth..*mis-encourage and excite men to this vicious affectation of danger. |
| 1649 J. H. Motion to Parl. 42 It is easie for men of acute wits to mis-judge and *mis⁓expect Nature. |
| a 1618 J. Davies (Heref.) Rights of Living & Dead Wks. (Grosart) II. 64 To say thou wast the Forme (that is the soule) Of all this All; I should thee *misenroule In Booke of Life. |
| 1645 Rutherford Tryal & Tri. Faith (1845) 43 The saints can *mis-father their love, and love where God loveth not. |
| 1881 F. T. Palgrave Vis. Eng. 206 The vapour and echo within he *mis-held for divine. |
| 1687 Boyle Martyrd. Theodora vi. (1703) 86 Whatever wilfulness may be *mis-imputed to us. |
| 1610 Donne Pseudo-martyr 97 To *mis-incite men to an imagined martyr-dome. |
| Ibid. 118 The Romane Church, which *mis-inflames the minde to false Martyrdome. |
| a 1625 Fletcher Four Plays, Honour i. (1647) 29/1 If either of ye *miskil one another, what will become of poor Florence? |
| 1835 Willis Pencillings II. liv. 122 If he was not a rogue, nature had *mislabelled him. |
| 1746 in E. D. Dunbar Social Life (1865) 358 A part of the lands..suffered damage by being *mis⁓laboured, and other parts by not being at all laboured. |
| 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. Contents, Two or three things of another sort,..*mismingled. 1876 Mrs. Whitney Sights & Ins. x. 109 You have mingled, and perhaps not mismingled the stories. |
| 1864 Spectator 17 Dec. 1444/2 The facts (at least so far as they are *misnarrated by either or both Evangelists). |
| 1650 B. Discolliminium 11 It is a dangerous thing to *mis⁓obey Magistrates. |
| 1852 Hawthorne Grandfather's Chair (1879) ii. iii. 85 Virgil whose verses..have been..*misparsed..by so many..idle school-boys. |
| 1658–9 in Burton's Diary (1828) III. 331, I understand that you and your clerk are reflected upon, as for *mispenning your order. |
| 1879 Meredith Egoist xxxi, Might he not have caused himself to be *misperused in later life? |
| 1749 H. Walpole Let. 23 Mar., Pigwiggin's Princess has *mis-piged. |
| 1709 Sacheverell Serm. 5 Nov. 12 Whosoever Presumes to..*Mispresent any Point in the Articles. 1885 [W. H. White] Mark Rutherford's Deliverance i, The same arguments, diluted, muddled, and mis-presented. |
| 1885 American IX. 229 In some directions we are *misproducing. |
| 1624 Donne Devot. (ed. 2) 81 Keepe me back, O Lord, fro them who *misprofesse artes of healing the Soule. |
| 1610 ― Pseudo-martyr 96 The Romane Doctrine..doth *mis-prouoke her disciples to a vicious affection of imaginarie Martyrdome. |
| 1496 Dives & Pauper (W. de W.) ix. ii. 3491 Yf thou occupye ony thynge *mys purchaced. |
| 1659 in Burton's Diary (1828) IV. 425 The question was *misput. It ought not to have been put with a negative in it. |
| 1870 Lowell Study Wind. 295 [Religious poetry] a painful something misnamed by the noun and *misqualified by the adjective. |
| 1817 J. Gilchrist Intell. Patrimony 78, I could not, indeed so strangely *mis⁓reason as to suppose that [etc.]. |
| 1653 Waterhouse Apol. Learning 249 There is nothing that more dishonoureth Governours than to *misreceive moderate addresses. |
| 1602 J. Davies Mirum in Modum D 2 b, Th' outward Sences Which oft misse apprehend, and *misse referre. |
| 1662 Tuke Adv. 5 Hours iv, The censorious world, who, like false glasses..*Misreflect the object. |
| 1644 Milton Bucer on Div. Wks. 1851 IV. 294 If Ezra and Nehemiah did not *mis⁓reform. |
| 1658 A. Fox Würtz' Surg. Ep. Ded. 9 If he find any thing..*mis-reprinted. 1879 Swinburne in Gentl. Mag. Aug. 176 A comedy miserably misreprinted in Dodsley's Old Plays. |
| 1642 Sir E. Dering Sp. on Relig. 35 This..being *mis-resented abroad. |
| 1442 T. Beckington Corr. (Rolls) II. 191 Howe true men..might be in subtil wise *misrewarded. |
| 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts, N.T. 392 The doctrines of that wicked Impostor..put an ill savour..upon all that were *mis-seasoned with them. |
| 1598 Florio, Misuéndere,..to *mis-sell. |
| 1674 N. Fairfax Bulk & Selv. Contents, Sense mistakes and *misshews, and thereby reason often misled. |
| 1896 Dublin Rev. Apr. 274 St. Thomas's mare was *mis-shod at the village forge. |
| 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. Ded., Wks. (Grosart) I. 94 It will not seem then that we have *mis-sung. 1614 J. Davies Ecl. in Browne Sheph. Pipe G 3 b, Albe that I ne wot I han mis-song. |
| 1654 J. P. Tyrants & Prot. Set forth 33 The Mariners eye is upon the star, when his hand is on the stern;..if he *misteers, the whole is in danger. |
| 1626 in Archæol. Cant. (1902) XXV. 18 We present Robert Broome for shutting or *mis-stopping our usual way on going perambulation of our parish. |
| a 1640 Jackson Creed xi. ii, So far hath the misapprehended doctrine of predestination..*missuaded some as they [etc.]. |
| 1647 Ward Simp. Cobler 28 If they [sc. tailors] might bee..discharged of the tyring slavery of *mis-tyring women. |
| 1596 Spenser F. Q. v. xi. 54 She..with corruptfull brybes is to untruth *mis-trayned. |
| a 1626 Bacon Charge Sess. Verge (1662) 19 That which is miswrought will *miswear. |
b. In the 14–16th c. a few verbs like
misdeem,
misthink, in which the prefix had originally its normal function, developed new senses in which it had the force of ‘unfavourably’. Then also arose a few new formations, such as
misbode,
misdoubt,
misdread, in which
mis- was prefixed to a verb expressing suspicion or fear, in order to render more fully the notion of uneasy feeling contained in the
vb. These new senses and combinations, however, now survive only as
arch. or
dial. 2. Prefixed to
pples. and
ppl. adjs. with the same meaning as in 1. Such compounds may be formed without reference to the
corresp. infinitives, which in many cases are not extant.
So
OE. misboren,
misbroᵹden,
mishwierfed,
misscr{yacu}dd, and
mishæbbende,
misweaxende, the
corresp. infinitives
misberan, etc. being unrecorded.
A few of the formations illustrated below are quasi-parasynthetic, as
misminded,
misnatured,
misprincipled.
| 1654 Bp. Hall Let. Apol. 6 To compose our *mis-alienated hearts to perfect love and concord. |
| 1641 Smectymnuus Vind. Answ. §2 This *misaltered Liturgie. |
| 1643 Milton Divorce 47 They shall recover the *misattended words of Christ to the sincerity of their true sense from manifold contradictions. |
| 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1596) 61/1 It may be easilie espied, this epistle to be feigned and *misauthorised. |
| 1864 Carlyle in Lett. Jane W. Carlyle (1883) III. 198 The house was new,..small, *misbuilt every inch of it. |
| 1611 Florio, Misuen{uacu}to, *miscome, decaied. |
| 1893 A. Forbes in Daily News 1 May 3/1 The poor *mis-commanded,..over-marched, outnumbered fighting men. |
| 1643 Herle Answ. Ferne 38 A *misconcealed statute. |
| 1713 Hist. Grand Reb. ii. 302 Honours..*mis⁓confered become the Nations curse. |
| 1831 Carlyle Schiller in Misc. Ess. (1840) III. 12 Among the crowd of uncultivated and *miscultivated writers. |
| 1854–66 Patmore Angel in Ho. ii. ii. 251 *Misdespairing word and act May now perturb the happiest pact. |
| 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts, N.T. 293 Uncertaine and *Mis-devised traditions of men. |
| 1649 G. Daniel Trinarch., Hen. IV, c, Cannot find Contempt enough for *misenforced Lawes. |
| 1780 M. Noble Mint & Coins of Durham 65 The supposed letter B will be found to be *mis-engraved C. |
| 1891 Swinburne Stud. Pr. & Poetry (1894) 22 The most execrably *misedited book that ever (I should hope) disgraced the press. |
| c 1600 B. Mus. Add. MS. 10303 title, The death of Blaunche the Dutchesse..no doubte *mysse entituled for this shoulde be Chaucers dreame. |
| 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts, O. T. Amos. iii. 14 Those *mis-erected altars. |
| 1844 Kinglake Eothen xvi. 232 If you look at pictures, you see Virgins with *mis-foreshortened arms. |
| 1614 Bp. Hall Contempl., O. T. v. iv, It is both unmannerly and irreligious to be *misgestured in our prayers. |
| 1622 Ibid. xvii. iv, Those *mis-hallowed hills. 1882 Swinburne Tristram of Lyonesse 19/12 His mishallowed and anointed steel. |
| c 1600 Sir J. Horsey Trav. (Hakl. Soc.) 243 His highnes maibe *misincenced. |
| 1615 Chapman Odyss. xiv. 258 Some God *mis-inspired. 1728 Savage Bastard 47 Thus Unprophetic, lately misinspir'd, I sung. |
| 1641 Bp. Hall Mischief of Faction Rem. Wks. (1660) 70 The *mis-kindled heat of some vehement spirits. |
| 1581 Mulcaster Positions xxxvi. (1887) 138 To haue wittes misplaced, and their degrees *mislotted by the iniquitie of Fortune. |
| 1850 E. Warburton Reginald Hastings II. 65 The misshapen and *misminded dwarf. |
| 1881 Swinburne Mary Stuart i. ii. 42 To join my name with my *misnatured son's. |
| 1627 W. Sclater Exp. 2 Thess. (1629) 159 The tidings of the *misnoised inhibition of preaching. |
| 1839 De Quincey Recoll. Lakes Wks. 1862 II. 183 All over his *misorganized country. |
| 1903 A. Lang in Longman's Mag. Feb. 382 [The book] is so much *mispaged as to be totally useless. |
| 1748 Richardson Clarissa (1811) VIII. 158 Winking and pinking, *mis⁓patched, yawning, stretching. |
| 1624 Quarles Job Militant xi. I 2 b, My dayes are gone, my thoughts are *mis-possest. [Cf. Job xvii. 11 and marg.] |
| a 1684 Leighton Serm. Wks. 1830 III. 209 The..persecutors of our holy religion..are very wrongfully *misprejudiced against it. |
| 1659 H. L'Estrange Alliance Div. Off. 31 The violent passions of other men *mis-principled. |
| 1646 Bp. Hall Free Prisoner v. 120 Here we were out of danger of this *mis-raised fury. |
| 1653 H. More Conject. Cabbal. (1713) 148 The *misreflected Echo of the sound. |
| 1900 Westm. Gaz. 13 Feb. 9/1 It is the old story of *mis-reposed trust by easy-going directors in the executive of the business. |
| 1610 Bp. Hall Apol. Brownists §12 If the sway of your *misresolued conscience be..vnresistable. |
| 1802–12 Bentham Ration. Judic. Evid. (1827) V. 87 Punishment that has been called *mis-seated punishment: punishment in alienam personam. |
| 1592 Shakes. Rom. & Jul. v. iii. 205 This Dagger..is *misheathed in my Daughters bosome. |
| 1681 Baxter Answ. Dodwell i. 1 Some tender place that is so impatient of a *mis-supposed touch. |
| 1850 Carlyle Latter-d. Pamph. i. 56, I will lead you to the Irish Bogs,..to *mistilled Connaught. |
| 1640 Bp. Hall Humble Remonstr. 11 That any ingenuous Christian should bee so farre *mis-transported as to condemne a good prayer. |
| 1626 ― Contempl., O.T. xx. 97 To set on foot the iust title of Joash, and to put him into the *misvsurped throne of his father Ahaziah. |
3. Prefixed to
vbl. ns. with the same meaning as in 4. (Such compounds may be formed without reference to a verb.)
| 1661 J. Stephens Procurations 147 Except the mistakes in printing..others of mispointing and *misaccenting with some other literal escapes. |
| 1670 Blount Law Dict. Pref., Cowel also, especially in the Folio Edition, (besides the *misalphabeting) is extreamly misprinted. |
| 1625 Bp. R. Montagu App. Cæsar 3 They seldome or never talke of any *misbeing, misordering, misdemeaning. |
| a 1641 ― Acts & Mon. (1642) 394 For mis leading and *mis-bringing up of youth and children. |
| 1629 Sir R. Boyle in Lismore Papers (1886) II. 324 The pretended *miscocqueting..of the yron sent by me. |
| 1586 Hooker Answ. Travers §24 Whatsoeuer was..by *miscollecting gathered out of darke places. |
| 1611 Florio, Misueniménto..a mischancing or *miscomming. |
| 1645 Milton Tetrach. Wks. 1851 IV. 171 Granting no divorce, but to the want, or *miscommunicating of that. 1865 *Mis-craving [see mis-wish n.]. |
| 1866 G. Stephens Runic Mon. I. p. xvii, All the talk about ‘*miscuttings’. |
| 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. i. ii. (1641) 93/2 The *mis-eating of a certain fruit. |
| 1621–31 Laud Serm. (1847) 175 The sin..is committed by man's *mis⁓endeavouring, or want of endeavouring. |
| 1645 Bp. Hall Rem. Discontent 146 The sting of the guilty *mis-enjoying of them will be sure to stick by us. |
| 1496 Dives & Pauper (W. de W.) v. ix. 206/2 They drawe folke to synne by *mys entysyng. |
| 1665 Phil. Trans. I. 229 The *Misgraving the Bended end of the Springing Wire. |
| a 1586 Sidney Arcadia ii. (1629) 185 When they knew their *mismeeting and saw each other..striuing who should run fastest to the goale of death. 1804 E. de Acton Tale without Title III. 59 Will not our readers lament this mis-meeting. |
| 1851 Carlyle Sterling ii. v. 200 There are several things misseen, untrue, which is the worst species of *mispainting. |
| 1611 Cotgr., Mespartement, a *misparting; an vnhonest, vnfit, or vnseemelie diuision. |
| a 1626 Bacon Controv. Ch. Eng. in Resuscitatio (1657) 178 All which Errours, and *Misproceedings, they do fortifie..by an addicted Respect, to their own Opinions. |
| 1865 J. Grote Explor. Philos. i. 249 It depends solely upon the realizing, in my view quite *mis⁓realizing, of logical terms. |
| 1651 Hobbes Leviath. i. v. 21 By *mis-reasoning, or by trusting them that reason wrong. 1862 F. Hall Hindu Philos. Syst. 190 In this misreasoning. |
| 1552–3 Act 7 Edw. VI, c. 1 §7 Fines..upon any Shirief..for not returning or *misreturning of any Write. |
| 1652 H. L'Estrange Amer. no Jewes 73 Some infirmities, which by Venery, and *misriding and *miswalking they have contracted. |
| 1901 W. E. Lingelbach in Trans. Roy. Hist. Soc. (1902) XVI. 59 In case a report or presentment of *mis-shipping was brought to the notice of the authorities. |
| 1882 Atlantic Monthly L. 695 A slight *misspacing, very common in newspaper print. |
| 1680 Waller Div. Medit. xv. 110 The slipping, or breaking of a string or the *mistopping [= mis-stopping] of a fret. |
| 1496 Dives & Pauper (W. de W.) vi. xiv. 256/1 That a man kepe well his handes & his bodye from *mystouchynge. |
| 1872 Bushnell Serm. Living Subj. 34 Our pitiful *mistraining is assuredly to be corrected. |
4. Prefixed to nouns of action, condition, and quality, with the meaning ‘bad’, ‘wrong’, ‘erroneous’, ‘perverse’, ‘misdirected’.
Of such compounds 13 are recorded in
OE., of which
misdeed,
mislore,
misrede, and
miswork are the only representatives in subsequent periods.
| 1894 Goldwin Smith in 19th Cent. Feb. 226 The misprints and *misaccentuations..contributed to its failure. |
| a 1661 Fuller Worthies (1840) I. 306 Let them sink into obscurity, that hope to swim in credit by such *mis-achievements. |
| a 1849 E. A. Poe Sphinx Wks. 1865 II. 436 To under-rate or to over-value the importance of an object, through mere *misadmeasurement of its propinquity. |
| 1650 R. Hollingworth Exerc. Usurped Powers 58 The magistrates *mis⁓administration. |
| 1825 Coleridge Aids Refl. (1848) I. 286 The *misallotment of worldly goods and fortunes. |
| 1642 C. Vernon Consid. Exch. 28 The said undue discharges and *misallowances. |
| 1509 Barclay Shyp of Folys 21 If all the Foly of our Hole Royalme were named Of *mys apparayle. |
| 1862 Carlyle Fredk. Gt. xiii. ii. (1873) V. 26 *Misappointment of your Captains is a fatal business. |
| 1834 De Quincey Autob. Sk. Wks. 1854 II. 20 His extravagant *mis-appraisement of Knolles. |
| 1623 Bp. Hall Great Impostor Wks. (1625) 503 Being ouercome with the false delectablenesse of sinne, it yeelds to a *misse-assent. |
| 1646 R. Baillie Anabaptism (1647) Pref. b, The ground of this *mis-assertion I take to be a twofold misapprehension. 1888 Charity Organis. Rev. Oct. 436 To prevent a mis-association of the sexes. |
| 1706 E. Baynard Cold Baths (1709) ii. 341 Infants..may be writh'd..by the least *mis-bandage into any inform Figure. |
| 1596 Spenser F.Q. iv. iii. 11 The meede of thy *mischalenge and abet. |
| 1845 Stoddart Gram. in Encycl. Metrop. I. 131/1 A *miscoinage of Ben Jonson's coarse and pedantic wit. |
| 1826 Bentham in Westm. Rev. VI. 499 Not only mis-selection..but *miscollocation likewise. |
| a 1628 F. Grevil Mustapha iii. i. Wks. (Grosart) III. 357 In Tyrants state neuer was man undone By *miscomplaints. |
| 1618 Bp. Hall Righteous Mammon Wks. (1625) 699 The euill dispositions that doe commonly attend wealth, are Pride and *Misconfidence. |
| 1822–34 Good's Study Med. (ed. 4) IV. 160 Labour impeded by *mis-configuration of the fetus. |
| 1819 W. S. Rose Lett. ii. 21 Misconstructions and *misconjugations. |
| 1648 Bp. Hall Select Th. §6 The *miscredulity of those who will rather trust to the Church than to the Scripture. |
| 1854 [S. R. Bosanquet] The First Seal 71 This wilderness of *misculture and unprofitableness. |
| 1822–34 Good's Study Med. (ed. 4) III. 243 Those cases in which the [spinal] *miscurvature is very considerable. |
| 1905 Daily Chron. 9 Jan. 4/5 The offence is known in railway parlance as ‘*misdeclaration of freight’. |
| 1822–34 Good's Study Med. (ed. 4) I. 29 Genus I:—Odontia. *Misdentition. |
| 1617 Bp. Hall Quo Vadis? Ep. Ded., Returning as emptie of grace..as full of words, vanitie, *mis-dispositions. |
| 1624 ― True Peace-Maker Wks. (1625) 542 To falsifie the writings of..Authors, by secret expurgations, by wilfull *mis-editions. |
| 1659 Heylin Examen Hist. ii. 66 The *mis-effects of that war. |
| 1829 Bentham Justice & Cod. Petit. 58 Neither the inefficiency, nor the whole of the *misefficiency, can be brought into view. |
| 1822 Good Study Med. IV. 131 Seminal *Misemission. |
| 1603 Florio Montaigne ii. xxxiv. (1632) 415 Victories, which one onely disaster, or *mis-encounter, might make him lose. |
| 1822 Good Study Med. I. 94 Psellismus Blæsitas. *Misenunciation. |
| 1592 Arden of Feversham G 4 And aske of God,..Vengeance on Arden, or some *misevent, To shewe the world, what wrong the carle hath done. |
| 1583 Golding Calvin on Deut. xci. 564 To bee caryed away by their *misexample. |
| 1685 Baxter Paraphr. N.T. Matt. xxiv. 3 Though Christ do not presently blame their *mis-expectations. |
| 1657 J. Sergeant Schism Dispach't 200 These two *mis-explications of Dr. H.'s duly consider'd. |
| 1614 Sylvester Parl. Vertues Royall 195 Wks. (1621) 853 When by *mis-heed, or by mishap, hee coms..into the Sacred Rooms. |
| 1652 Bp. Hall Invis. World i. §9 Here then was this *mis-humility, that they thought it too much boldness to come immediately to God. |
| 1665 Wither Lord's Prayer 121 This *misimputation to God, is continued, though he hath said, (yea sworn) the contrary. |
| 1894 Eclectic Mag. Jan. LIX. 20 The hugest and ugliest shed constructible by human *mis⁓ingenuity. |
| 1680 Baxter Answ. Stillingfl. xxiv. 37 All will not prevent the *mis-intimations even of such worthy Men as you. |
| 1822 Good Study Med. IV. 37 Galactia. *Mislactation. |
| 1571 Golding Calvin on Ps. lii. 4 He bursteth not out into *mislanguage too wreake himself. |
| 1822 Good Study Med. IV. 37 Paramenia. *Mismenstruation. |
| Ibid. 438 Paruria. *Mismicturition. |
| a 1631 Donne Obseq. Ld. Harrington 132 As small pocket-clocks, whose every wheele Doth each *mismotion and distemper feele. |
| 1904 Daily Chron. 8 Jan. 4/6 Drowned through *Misnavigation on the Congo. |
| 1835–6 Todd's Cycl. Anat. I. 60/1 Certain morbid conditions of the system, in which there is any process of *mis-nutrition. |
| 1643 Milton Divorce ii. ix. Wks. 1851 IV. 83 That our obedience be not *mis-obedience. |
| 1822–34 Good's Study Med. (ed. 4) IV. 97 A misformation or *misorganisation of the parts. |
| Ibid. 242 Parostia. *Mis-ossification. |
| 1901 Sotheby's Catal. May 53 We think that the..*mispagination was an error on the part of the printers. |
| 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts, N.T. 8 The inward *mis-passion of the heart. |
| 1865 J. Grote Explor. Philos. i. Introd. 13 This error I have called ultra-phenomenalism or *mis-phenomenalism. |
| 1896 L. Abbott Christ. & Soc. Probl. xi. 305 The very phrase ‘administration of justice’ is a *mis-phrase. |
| 1812 Southey Ess. (1832) I. 154 If some strange *mispolicy does not avert this..natural course of things. [Several other instances in Southey.] |
| 1822–34 Good's Study Med. (ed. 4) IV. 156 Those apprehensions which are often entertained by a pregnant woman respecting the *misposition of the child. |
| 1653 Baxter Christian Concord 110 No mans *mis-practice is any reasonable cause of excepting against our Agreement. |
| 1621 Bp. R. Montagu Diatribæ 5 Having once by a *mis-preconceit fashioned their thoughts thereunto. |
| 1905 Daily News 26 Jan. 12 The *misproposals of the present Government. |
| 1659 H. L'Estrange Alliance Div. Off. 31 Through whose *mis⁓providence these errours have come to pass. |
| 1865 J. Grote Explor. Philos. i. Introd. 9 A very mistaken view, which I have called generally the wrong psychology or *mis-psychology. |
| 1496 Dives & Pauper (W. de W.) ix. vi. 355/2 Them that have mysgoten them by *myspurchace, or by withholdynge of dette. |
| 1851 Carlyle Sterling i. viii, Sordid misbeliefs, *mispursuits and *misresults. |
| a 1483 Liber Niger in Househ. Ord. (1790) 59 To counsayle upon whome to cast the losses of suche *mysse pourveyaunce. |
| 1867 Carlyle Remin. (1881) II. 128 ‘Sense of the ridiculous’..is withal very indispensable to a man; Hebrews have it not..hence various *misqualities of theirs. |
| 1864 Daily Tel. 13 June, The *mis⁓reception of evidence. |
| c 1843 Carlyle Hist. Sk. (1898) 104 Struggling all thy years against poverty and *misrecognition. 1886 Gurney, etc. Phantasms of Living II. 390 The mis-recognition would then be very similar. |
| 1894 J. L. Robertson Scott's Poet. Wks. Pref., The discovery of several *mis⁓references. |
| 1831 Fraser's Mag. III. 203 This is a favourite *mis-rhyme. |
| a 1670 Hacket Abp. Williams i. (1693) 72 That *mis-sentence, which pronounced by a plain and understanding Man, would appear most Gross and Palpable. |
| c 1810 Coleridge in Lit. Rem. (1838) III. 296 They rejected the fact for the sake of the *mis-solution. |
| a 1656 Bp. Hall Let. Parænetical Rem. Wks. (1660) 399 Meer tricks of *mis-suggestion. |
| 1818 Scott Rob Roy ii, An erasure in the ledger, or a *mis-summation in a fitted account. |
| 1780 Bentham Princ. Legisl. Wks. 1843 I. 75 Where..there is no *missupposal in the case. |
| 1876 Tennyson Q. Mary iv. ii, The huge corruptions of the Church, Monsters of *mistradition. |
| a 1862 E. O'Curry Manners Anc. Irish (1873) III. 384 This, unless figurative, is clearly a mistake or a *mistranscript. |
| 1868 H. H. Gibbs Chev. Assigne Pref. p. i, There are several *mistranscriptions. |
| 1849 Fraser's Mag. XXXIX. 598 Trouble and joy in strange *misunion blent. |
| 1882 Abp. Benson Let. in Life (1901) 219 Wherever my *miswisdom..draws my eyes down from the Pattern showed us in the Mount. |
5. Prefixed to agent-nouns.
| 1625 Bp. R. Montagu App. Cæsar 232 Wicked *mis-agents in respect of living. |
| a 1618 Sylvester St. Lewis 670 Wks. (Grosart) II. 236 Who..could better brook A *miss-Fault-finder, than a Fawner's looke. |
| 1547 Reg. Privy Council Scot. I. 75 Thai salbe reput and halding as *misfavouraris of this realme. |
| 1574 tr. Marlorat's Apocalips 39 marg., Hypocrites and *misprofessors of religion. |
| 1638 Mede Disc. Texts xlvi. Wks. ii. (1672) 258 All prophaners and *misreceivers of those Sacred pledges. |
| 1891 Sat. Rev. 30 May 667/1 The incorrigible *misrhymer who jingles ‘burden’ and ‘pardon’. |
6. Prefixed to
adjs. with the sense of ‘wrongly’, ‘erroneously’, ‘perversely’.
| 1620 Bp. Hall Hon. Marr. Clergy iii. iii, Whether the catholike Bishop that wrote this, or the *mis-catholike masse-priest that reproues it, be more worthy of Bedleem. |
| 1641 ― Answ. Vind. Smectymnuus §2. 22 My eyes are so Lyncean, as to see you proudly *mis-confident. |
| 1893 Stevenson Catriona x. (1903) 110 It is most *misconvenient at least. |
| 1837 Syd. Smith Let. Archd. Singleton iii. Wks. (1850) 641/2 In defeating this *mis-ecclesiastic law. |
| 1614 Sylvester Little Bartas 822 Without *mis-fond affection. |
7. Expressing negation (of something good or desirable); equivalent to
dis-,
in-, or
un-.
In
OE.,
misᵹ{iacu}eman,
mish{iacu}eran,
misspówan,
mistr{iacu}ewan,
misweorþian are instances in which this meaning is more or less clearly developed.
| 1649 Earl of Monmouth tr. Senault's Use Passions (1671) 82 Men..seem to have a design to hasten their *misadvantages. |
| 1859 Tennyson Holy Grail 175 And once by *misadvertence Merlin sat In his own chair. |
| 1816 Coleridge Lett. (1895) 658 If pain and sorrow and self-*miscomplacence had not forced my mind in on itself. |
| 1855 A. H. Stephens in Johnston & Browne Life (1878) 288 That..the Supreme Court would hold it to be *misconstitutional. |
| 1893 Stevenson Catriona 108 It is most *misconvenient at least. |
| 1704 F. Fuller Med. Gymn. (1718) 76 The Pus, the Slough, and all the *Mispurities of the Sore. |
| 1382 Wyclif Ecclus. xxv. 29 The wrathe of a womman and the *mysreuerence [1388 vnreuerence, Vulg. irreverentia]. |
| 1850 Tait's Mag. XVII. 2/1 A rental of ten pounds yearly would be, for many families, a deed of *misthrift. |
8. Prefixed to words denoting something wrong or bad, serving as an intensive.
In
OE. we have
misscręnce by the side of
ᵹe-scręnce = withered.
| 1570 in J. P. Collier Old Ballads (Percy Soc. 1840) 79 What *mis-deformed wights Of women borne there bee. |
| 1656 Earl of Monmouth tr. Boccalini's Advts. fr. Parnass. i. lxxxvii. 171 The..reproaches..which Poets..make..against such *misdemeriting men [orig. huomini di tanto demerito]. |
| Ibid. ii. xcv. 388 His Majesty thought he had no waies *mis⁓demerited [orig. demeritato] by that his forgetfulness. |
| Ibid. i. ii. 4 The *misdemerits [orig. il demerito] of this fellow. |
| 1533 Bellenden Livy iii. xxiii. (S.T.S.) II. 40 We..covatis nocht bot ȝow to be penitent of ȝoure *mysfalt. |
| c 1470 Harding Chron. clxxvi. iii, That ruled had in mykell *mysryote. |
| ? a 1500 Felon Sewe of Rokeby in R. Bell Anc. Poems, etc. (1857) 134 Ye wolde hav ren awaye, When moste *misstirre had bin. |
| 1592 W. Wyrley Armorie 152 Capitall de Buz, Bicause from England he was late *mistraid [= mis-strayed]. |
9. The existence of pairs of words like
misbelieve and
disbelieve,
mislike and
dislike gave rise to confusion between the prefixes and to the (often unmeaning) substitution of
mis- for
dis- (and even
des-), as in
† misguise,
† mismay. To the same confusion are due the
dial. misdain,
misdainful (after
disdain),
miscry for
descry, and
mislest, corruption of
molest; also the
obs. mislaundre for
dislaundre disclander.
▸
misconfigure v.
| 1986 Computerworld 7 July 43/4 It probably was caused by the customer *misconfiguring the equipment. 2000 Jewish Social Stud. 7 120 Jewish liturgy, especially in the New Year and Day of Atonement prayerbooks, has misconfigured the memory of Abraham. |
▸
misconfigured adj.| 1987 A. Theroux Adultery ii. vi. 173 Six or seven *misconfigured nudes..so muddled in anatomy I actually wondered if she was joking. 2004 Dr. K. Hackers' Tales Introd. 15 They're never going to tackle the real problem; buggy and misconfigured software that is insecure out of the box. |
▪ II. mis-, prefix2 (
mɪs)
(Forms: 3–5
mes-, 4
mess(e)-, 4–5
myss(e)-, 3–
mis-)
in compounds adopted from French represents
OF. mes- (
mod.F.
més-,
mes-,
mé)
= Pr. mes-,
mens-,
Sp.,
Pg. menos-, OIt.
menes-,
minis-,
It. mis- (also
med.L.
mis-):—
Com. Rom. minus-, a use of L.
minus adv. ‘less, not’, as a prefix with the signification ‘bad(ly)’, ‘wrong(ly)’, ‘amiss’, and with negative force, in comb. with verbs, adjectives, and nouns.
The list of words derived immediately from
OFr. compounds of
mes- is not large, the most important being
misadventure,
mischance,
mischief,
miscontent,
miscreant,
misease,
misnomer,
misprize; but the number due directly or indirectly to the influence of such compounds is
prob. much larger (
cf. mis-1). In English the prefix became ultimately identical in form (as it was in meaning) with
mis-1.
Mischief,
mischievous, and
miscreant are the only compounds of
mis-2 having the stress on the prefix. This is due to the fact that they early ceased to be felt as compounds, and while they followed the rule of stress-change in French-derived words,
mischance and the rest fell under the influence of the native compounds of
mis-1, and so have their stress on the root.
▪ III. mis-, prefix3 see
miso-.