Emily Dickinson Lexicon

MIS'CEL-LANE, n. [L. miscellaneus.]

A mixture of two or more sorts of grain; now called Meslin. Bacon.

MIS-CEL-LA'NE-OUS, a. [L. miscellaneus, from misceo, to mix.]

Mixed; mingled; consisting of several kinds; as, a miscellaneous publication; a miscellaneous rabble. Milton.

MIS-CEL-LA'NE-OUS-LY, adv.

With variety or mixture.

MIS-CEL-LA'NE-OUS-NESS, n.

The state of being mixed; composition of various kinds.

MIS'CEL-LA-NY, a.

Miscellaneous. [Obs.] Bacon.

MIS'CEL-LA-NY, n. [Fr. miscellanées; Sp. miscelanea; L. miscellanea, from misceo, to mix; Ch. and Ar. מזג, to mix. Class Ms, No. 7.]

1. A mass or mixture of various kinds; particularly,
2. A book or pamphlet containing a collection of compositions on various subjects, or a collection of various kinds of compositions. Pope. Swift.

MIS-CEN'TER, v.t.

To place amiss. [Not in use.] Donne.

MIS-CHANCE, n.

Ill luck; ill fortune; misfortune; mishap; misadventure. It is a man's unhappiness, his mischance or calamity, but not his fault. South.

MIS-CHAR'AC-TER-IZE, v.t. [See Character.]

To characterize falsely or erroneously; to give a wrong character to. They totally mischaracterize the action. Eton.

MIS-CHARGE, n.

A mistake in charging, as an account; an erroneous entry in an account.

MIS-CHARGE, v.t.

To mistake in charging, as an account.

MIS-CHARG'ED, pp.

Charged erroneously.

MIS'CHIEF, n. [Old Fr. meschef; mes, wrong, and chef, head or end, the root of achieve, Fr. achever.]

1. Harm; hurt; injury; damage; evil, whether intended or not. A new law is made to remedy the mischief.
2. Intentional injury; harm or damage done by design. Thy tongue deviseth mischief. Ps. lii.
3. III consequence; evil; vexatious affair. The mischief was, these allies would never allow that the common enemy was subdued. Swift.

MIS'CHIEF, v.t.

To hurt; to harm; to injure. Sprat.

MIS'CHIEF-MAK-ER, n.

One who makes mischief; one who excites or instigates quarrels or enmity.

MIS'CHIEF-MAK-ING, a.

Causing harm; exciting enmity or quarrel. Rowe.

MIS'CHIEV-OUS, a.

1. Harmful; hurtful; injurious; making mischief; of persons; as, a mischievous man or disposition.
2. Hurtful; noxious; as, a mischievous thing. Arbuthnot.
3. Inclined to do harm; as, a mischievous boy.

MIS'CHIEV-OUS-LY, adv.

1. With injury, hurt, loss or damage. We say, the law operates mischievously.
2. With evil intention or disposition. The injury was done mischievously.

MIS'CHIEV-OUS-NESS, n.

1. Hurtfulness; noxiousness.
2. Disposition to do harm, or to vex or annoy; as, the mischievousness of youth. Mischief denotes injury, harm or damage of less malignity and magnitude than what are usually called crimes. We never give the name of mischief to theft, robbery or murder. And it so commonly implies intention in committing petty offenses, that it shocks us to hear the word applied to the calamities inflicted by Providence. We say, a tempest has done great damage, but not mischief. In like manner, the adjective mischievous is not applied to thieves, pirates and other felons, but to persons committing petty trespasses and offenses.

MISCH'NA, n.

A part of the Jewish Talmud. [See Mishna.]

MIS-CHOOSE, v.t. [mischooz'.]

To choose wrong; to make a wrong choice. Milton.

MIS-CHOS-EN, pp.

Chosen by mistake.

MIS-CI-BIL'I-TY, n.

Capability of being mixed.

MIS'CI-BLE, a. [Fr. from L. misceo, to mix.]

That may be mixed. Oil and water are not miscible.

MIS-CI-TA'TION, n.

A wrong citation; erroneous quotation. Collier