mischieve, v. Now dial. or arch.
(mɪsˈtʃiːv)
Also (4–5 mes-, 4–6 mys-), 4–5 -chieve, -chyeve, 4–6 -cheve, 5 -cheeve, -chewe, 5–6 Sc. mischeif, -cheive, 7 mischive.
[a. OF. meschever to be unfortunate, come to grief, f. mes- mis-2 + chever cheve: cf. Sp. menoscabar to impair.
That the Scottish forms in f belong to this word rather than to mischief v. is attested by the rimes and the modern pronunciation.]
† 1. intr. To suffer harm or injury; to meet with misfortune; to come to grief, ‘miscarry’. Obs.
| c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 171 He said, ‘þei salle mischeue’, whan he þat tiþing herd. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xii. 119 And his sones al-so for þat synne myscheued. c 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 614 And up thai wol atte eve Into a tree lest thai by nyght myscheve. 14.. in Q. Eliz. Acad. 85 Whene pryde is moste in prys..Þenne schall englonde myschewe. a 1450 Hoccleve Learn to die 544 in Min. Poems 198 He mischeeueth where as he wende han recouered be. 1450–1530 Myrr. our Ladye 34 Yt hathe not bene sene, that euer eny place myscheued where goddes seruyce was deuoutly kepte. 1604 Edmonds Observ. Cæsar's Comm. 78 To make supplications for all soules, and specially for such as had mischieued in France in the time of that warre. |
2. trans. To afflict or overwhelm with misfortune; to bring to destruction or ruin.
| 1388 Pol. Poems (Rolls) I. 272 The chyrche is grevyd,..And so sume be myschevyd. c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 3 Why hase þou loste and myschevid so many sawlis as þou hase done? 1451 Rolls of Parlt. V. 224/2 Thaugh he [sc. John Cade] be dede and myscheved. 1513 Douglas æneis ii. x. 112 And tho beheld I all the citie mischevit. 1526 Skelton Magnyf. 2360 So I am lapped in aduersyte, That dyspayre well nyghe had myscheued me! 1621 Bp. R. Montagu Diatribæ 212 You may haply fall foule, where you may be mischieued for euer. 1883 R. W. Dixon Mano i. xi. 34 They who thy fair head mischieved Of such a deed the cost shall well aby. |
3. To inflict injury or loss upon; to do harm to; to injure, damage.
| 1475 Bk. Noblesse (1860) 41 Many folde tymes we have ben deceived and myschevid thoroughe suche dissimuled trewes. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xxii. 5 Excess of thocht dois me mischeif. a 1600 Montgomerie Misc. Poems v. 7 Melancholie mischeivis my mind, That I can not rejose. 1645 Bp. Hall Treat. Content. 71 The Male-content, whether hee bee angry or sad, mischieves himself both wayes. 1687 R. L'Estrange Brief Hist. Times i. 7 Whatsoever Mischiev'd the One, must needs do the Other a Service. 1707 Reflex. upon Ridicule 177 Desire of mischieving those who are happier than they. |
b. To do physical or bodily harm to; to wound, hurt.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 7429 A sad man full sone, þe sun of Theseus, Segh Achilles myscheuyt. 1465 Paston Lett. II. 205 Ther fylle uppon me befor Sevayne dore xij. of hes men..and ther they wold have myscheved me. 1513 Douglas æneis x. xiii. 20 A gret speyr, quharwith he feyll myschevit. 1530 Palsgr. 637/1 Beware of yonder horse, for he wyll myscheve as many as come within his reache. 1649 Milton Eikon. x. 412 The onely Armes that mischiev'd us in all those Battels and Incounters. 1682 J. Flavel Fear 74 Francis Spira..would have mischieved himself had not his friends prevented him. 1725 Sloane Jamaica II. 6 Some they..mischiev'd to Death with certain Pricks of small Sticks sharply pointed. 1825–80 Jamieson, To mischieve, to hurt. 1836 J. Struthers Dychmont in Poet. Wks. (1850) II. 67 With dye vats chok'd, with engines deav'd And countless nuisances mischieved. |
† 4. To abuse, slander. (Cf. mischief n. 9 d.)
| 1656 Manasseh ben Israel Vind. Jud. 15 Men mischieving the Iewes to excuse their own wickednesse. 1674 Scrivener Course Div. ii. v. 388 Sometimes you shall hear from them somewhat religiously (as it were) spoken, when they intend thereby to mischive and abuse it [sc. Religion]. 1785 W. Forbes Dominie 14 Some strain'd their lungs, And very loud me mischiev'd With their ill tongues. |