mis-ˈspeak, v.
Also 4–7 misp-.
[mis-1 1.]
† 1. a. intr. To speak wrongly or improperly; to speak evil. Obs.
| c 1200 in O.E. Hom. I. 305 Ich habbe..Misispeken. c 1374 Chaucer Troylus i. 934, I me repente If I mis spak. c 1386 ― Miller's Prol. 31 If that I misspeke or seye, Wyte it the ale of Southwerk. 1595 Shakes. John iii. i. 4 It is not so, thou hast mispoke, misheard. 1613 tr. Mexia's Treas. Anc. & Mod. Times 764/1, I doe not inferre that it is lawfull for weomen to depraue or mispeake by any means. |
b. To speak disrespectfully or disparagingly of.
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 228 Enemys of oure feiþ þat bakbiten or myspeken of vs. 1390 Gower Conf. I. 227 If that I myhte ofherkne..That eny man of hire mispeke. 1598 Sylvester Du Bartas ii. iv. iv. (1641) 232 Who mis⁓speaks of thee, hee spets at Heav'n, And his owne spettle in his face is driven. |
† 2. trans. To speak evil of; to calumniate. Obs.
| 1582 N. T. (Rhem.) Acts xxiii. 5 The prince of thy people thou shalt not misspeake. 1584 Peele Arraignm. Paris iii. i, Mis-speak not all for his amiss. |
3. a. trans. To speak, utter, or pronounce incorrectly or improperly. rare.
| [1390: see mis-speech.] 1593 Nashe Christ's T. (1613) 132 We care not how we mispeake it so wee haue it to speake. a 1631 Donne Let. to M.M.H. Poems (1654) 177 As a mother which delights to heare Her early childe mis-speake halfe uttered words. 1879 Butcher & Lang Odyss. xiv. 238 Thou hast not misspoken aught, nor uttered a word unprofitably. |
b. refl. To fail to convey the meaning one intends by one's words.
| 1890 in Cent. Dict. 1894 Congress. Rec. 19 Jan. 1051/1, I simply wanted to bring that matter out plainly... I believe he misspoke himself. 1973 Harper's Mag. June 38/2 ‘The President,’ Ziegler said, ‘misspoke himself.’ He explained that the President had noted his error in reviewing the transcript of the press conference. 1975 G. V. Higgins City on Hill ii. 53 If I gave that impression, I misspoke myself. |
So mis-ˈspeaking vbl. n.
| 1530 Palsgr. 172 Blaspheme, mispekyng of God. 1650 Earl of Monmouth tr. Senault's Man bec. Guilty 199 As they have the art of speaking, they have also the cunning of mis⁓speaking. |