Emily Dickinson Lexicon

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.