▪ I. † misˈdeem, n. Obs.
[prob. f. next, but cf. deem n.]
Misjudgement.
1593 Lyly in Phœnix Nest Wks. (1902) III. 477 Such life leads Loue entangled with misdeemes. 1602 Warner Alb. Eng. xii. lxxv. 313 What should we say his Ioy, that his Mis-deemes did sort to this? |
▪ II. misˈdeem, v. Now chiefly arch. and poet.
(See also misdain.)
[mis-1 1. Cf. ON. misdœ́ma.]
1. trans. To form an unfavourable judgement of, think evil of. Obs.
c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xi. (Symon & Iudas) 370 Ws afferis til helpe saklas men, bot to mysdeme na man kene. [Leg. Aur. Nocentes perdere non decet.] 1509 Barclay Shyp of Folys (1570) 63 When he by gelousy His wife suspecteth..Or her misdeemeth, and kepeth in straitly. a 1529 Skelton Bouge of Court 137 The seconde was Suspecte, which that dayly Mysdempte eche man. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. vii. 49 Till all unweeting an Enchaunter..made him to misdeeme My loyalty. Ibid. iii. x. 29 As much disdeigning to be so misdempt, Or a war-monger to be basely nempt. 1628 Gaule Pract. Theories (1629) 96 His Iealousie hasts not to reuenge, while he cannot but misdeeme her. 1767 Lewis Statius ii. 370 He..saw his Friends misdeem'd in Crouds resort, To bask beneath the Sunshine of the Court. |
† 2. intr. To form an unfavourable judgement, think ill (of). Obs.
1388 Wyclif Num. xiv. 11 How long schal this puple bacbite me [gloss, ether mysdeme of me]? 1496 Dives & Pauper (W. de W.) i. xlv. 86/2 To mysdeme of his euen crysten. 1548 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Matt. i. 19 True honesty is neyther redy to misdeme, nor hasty to reuenge. 1671 Milton P.R. i. 424 What but thy malice mov'd thee to misdeem Of righteous Job. |
3. To have a wrong opinion of, be mistaken in one's view of.
c 1384 Chaucer H. Fame 92 That take hit [sc. my tale] wel, and scorne hit noght, Ne hit misdemen in her thoght. 1570 Henry's Wallace ii. 352 Be war that ȝe do nocht misdeme my taille. 1593 G. Fletcher Licia To Rdr., Men unfitte to knowe what love meanes; deluded fondlie with their owne conceit, misdeeming so divine a fancie. 1616 Breton Invect. agst. Treason (Grosart) 5/2 Where Wisdomes care can neuer truthe misdeeme. 1677 Gilpin Demonol. (1867) 257 Though such men are under God's favour, yet they misdeem it, and think God is angry with them. 1784 Cowper Task iv. 685 Hence too the field of glory, as the world misdeems it. 1848 Lytton Harold ii. ii, Nor misdeem me, that I, humble, unmitred priest, should be thus bold. 1875 Lowell Under Old Elm viii, If ever with distempered voice or pen We have misdeemed thee, here we take it back. |
b. trans. To suppose (a person or thing) erroneously to be (something else); to mistake (a thing) for another.
1667 Dryden Secr. Love v. Wks. 1701 I. 185 My grace to Philocles mis-deem'd my Love! ? 1802 Wordsw. Sonn., ‘Desponding Father’, Misdeem it not a cankerous change. 1829 Southey All for Love vi. xxiv, Thy thoughts possest With one too painful theme, Their own imaginations For reality misdeem. 1872 A. de Vere Leg. St. Patrick, St. P. at Cashel 65 Demons misdeemed for gods. |
c. with adj. or phr. as compl.
1835 Trench Sonnet ‘Look, dearest, what a glory’, If, having shared the light, we should misdeem That light our own. 1852 Robertson Serm. Ser. iv. xxxviii. (1863) 291 As if some poor miserable minister or teacher, rejoicing over his success, were to misdeem the work his own. 1885–94 R. Bridges Eros & Psyche Mar. 1. ii, The wealth which men misdeem of much avail. |
4. To form a wrong judgement (of); to hold a mistaken opinion.
a 1300 Cursor M. 27742 Wreth..Flites, scendes and misdenisse [c 1375 Fairf. fliting shindis & misdemis; a 1400 Cott. Galba It makes fliteing and misdemes] Man aun wiit it fra him cleuisse [other texts flemis]. c 1386 Chaucer Merch. T. 1166 He that misconceyveth, he misdemeth. a 1618 Sylvester Wks. (Grosart) II. 335/1 Then doome not rashly, lest you may misdeem. 1629 H. Burton Truth's Triumph 225 Misdeeming and doubting of the remission of sinnes. 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 301 Misdeem not then, If such affront I labour to avert From thee alone, which [etc.]. 1779 Mason Eng. Garden iii. 536 Whom elder Thales, and the Bard of Thebes Held first of things terrestrial; nor misdeem'd. 1791 Cowper Iliad i. 528, I..much misdeem Of my endeavour, or my prayer shall speed. 1814 Cary Dante, Hell xxxii. 118 Farther on, If I misdeem not, Soldanieri bides. Ibid., Paradise xxvi. 73 At his sudden waking, he misdeems Of all around him. 1839 Wordsw. Mem. Tour Scotl. 1803 iii, Leaving each unquiet theme Where gentlest judgments may misdeem. 1884 Bible (R.V.) Deut. xxxii. 27 Lest their adversaries should misdeem. |
b. To suppose mistakenly.
1596 Spenser State Irel. Wks. (Globe) 609/1, I will rather thinke the cause of this evill..to proceede rather of the unsoundness of the Counsells..which [etc.]..then of any such..appoyntment of God, as you misdeeme. 1600 Hakluyt Voy. (1810) III. 186 Least any man should mis⁓deeme that God doth resist all attempts intended that way. 1817 Shelley Rev. Islam xii. x, He misdeems That he is wise, whose wounds do only bleed Inly for self. 1839–52 Bailey Festus 223 He by..instigating all the soul's vain aims, Misdeems to cause thee lose God. |
† 5. trans. To have a suspicion or inkling of; to suspect the existence or occurrence of (some evil).
1494 Fabyan Chron. v. cxvii. 92 The Kynge not mys⁓demynge eny thyng of this Conspyred treason. a 1553 Udall Royster D. iv. iii. (Arb.) 62 Surely, this fellowe misdeemeth some yll in me. a 1607 T. Brightman Brightm. Rediv. iii. (1647) 78 While wee were in Ignorance, we lay secure in our sin,..never mis-deeming our estate. 1607 Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 177 The Fox..misdeemeth no harm, and entreth into the hive which is wrought close into the mouth of his den. |
† b. to misdeem (a person) for —: to suspect him to be —. Obs.
c 1500 Melusine 265/15 [He] was so Lyke a Sarasyn that no man mysdymed hym for other than a Sarasyn. |
† 6. intr. To suspect something evil. Obs.
c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 222 Jewel thoght of treason and tray..Thoo he mysdemed in this case, Whan she cam not of so long while He supposed ther yede som gyle. 1556 J. Heywood Spider & F. iii. 25 Hath fortune wrought my foes at this time hither, And not so much as warnde me to mis⁓deeme. 1561 Sackville Gorboduc i. i. 39 (Manly), If thinges do so succede As now my ielous mind misdemeth sore. 1596 Lodge Marg. Amer. 55 The emperour conceiving new suspitions upon this second assault, began to misdeeme. |
† b. const. clause. To suspect (that..). Obs.
a 1530 Heywood Play of Love (Brandl) 516 Anone she mysdemed That I was not merely disposed, And so myght she thynke, for I disclosed No worde nor loke, but such as shewed as sadly as [etc.]. 1581 Savile Tacitus, Hist. i. xxviii. (1591) 17 [He] gaue most men to misdeeme by his dealing, that he was somewhat of counsel with the case [orig. præbuit plerisque suspicionem conscientiæ]. 1600 Fairfax Tasso x. xxxviii, Nor say I this for that I ought misdeeme That Egypts promis'd succours faile vs might. |