Emily Dickinson Lexicon

mirage, n. [Fr. 'to look at oneself in the mirror, to be reflected'.]

Optical illusion; false visual representation.

mirror (mirrorrs), n. [Fr. < L. miror, to admire.] (webplay: clear, light, looking, star, stone).

1. Reflection; shiny image; pattern of light.
2. Looking glass; [architecture] molding; small oval ornament with wreaths of flowers cut into a gravestone; [fig.] mold; model; exemplar; to which people should look to.

mirth, n. [OE 'merry'.] (webplay: high).

Merriment; happiness; causing joyous feelings.

miscellaneous, adj. [Fr. < L. miscere, to mix.]

Random; of a variety; of different kinds.

misconceive, v. [OE mis-, badly + OFr < L. concipere, take altogether; see conceive.] (webplay: yield).

Mistake; have a false conception of; draw a wrong inference.

miser (-s, -'s), n. [L. 'wretched, unfortunate'.] (webplay: poverty, wealth).

1. One who hoards money.
2. [Fig.] one who in wealth makes himself miserable for fear of poverty.

miserable, adj. [Fr. < L.] (webplay: hopes, discontent).

In a state of misery; uncomfortable; painful; very unhappy; hopeless.

misery (-ies), n. [see miserable, adj.] (webplay: cause, death, discontent, extreme, heart, hope, life, pain, reign, unhappiness).

1. That which is painful, wretched, hopeless, uncomfortable; great affliction.
2. Miserable, unhappy condition; condition of sorrow or alienation.
3. That which produces pain or causes discomfort and unhappiness.
4. Distress caused by poverty or alienation.

misfortune, n. [see fortune, n.]

Bad luch or fortune, often beyond controllable means.

misgive (-s), v. [see give, v.] (webplay: heart).

Make a mistake; give amiss; fail. NW adds that it is usually applied to the heart.