mis- 
mis- 2 . [< ME. mis-, nujs-, mcs-, < OF. mcs-, F. 
me-, mes-, Pr. mes-, metis- = Sp. Pg. tnenos- = It. 
nth-, < L. minim, less; used in Rom. as a depre- 
ciatory prefix: see minus.'] A prefix of Latin ori- 
gin, meaning literally 'minus,' 'less,' and hence 
used in Romance, etc., as a depreciative or 
negative prefix, as in misadventure, mischance, 
mixrliief, inixfonnt. nii.tciTinil, misnomer, etc. 
It is mostly merged with mis-i, from which in most cases 
it can be distinguished only by the etymology of the word. 
misacceptation (mis-ak-sep-ta'shon), . [< 
mis- 1 + acceptation."] The act of taking or un- 
derstanding in a wrong sense; a false accep- 
tation. 
misacceptiont (mis-ak-sep'shon), n. [< mis- 1 + 
acception.] Misacceptation. 
The apostle, . . . contemning all impotent mtsocceptions, 
calls them what he finds them, a froward generation. 
Bp. Hall, Sermon to the Lords, Feb. 18, 1034. 
misaccountt (mis-a-kounf), r. t. [< ME. mis- 
acounten, misaccompten, < OF. * mesacompter , 
count wrongly, < mes- + acompter, account : 
see mis-% and account.] To miscalculate ; mis- 
reckon. 
He thoghte he mysacounted hadde his day. 
Chaucer, Troilus, v. 1185. 
misachievement(mis-a-chev'ment), n. [<IJ*-1 
+ achievement."] Wrong-doing; an achievement 
that is not desirable or commendable. Davies. 
Let them sink into obscurity that hope to swim in credit 
by such mis-achievements. 
Fuller, Worthies, Cornwall, I. 30. 
misact (mis-akt'), . t. [< mis- 1 + act.] To 
act or perform badly. 
The player that misacts an inferior and unnoted part 
carries it away without censure. 
lien. T. Adams, Works, I. 391. (Davies.) 
misadjust (mis-a-jusf), r. t. [< mis- 1 + adjust.] 
To adjust badly; put out of adjustment. Jer. 
Taylor. 
misadjustment (mis-a-just'ment), n. [< mis- 1 
+ adjustment.] The state or condition of being 
badly ad justed; disagreement; lack of harmony. 
The misadjust'tnent of nature to our physical being. 
Mark Hopkins, Discussions for Young Men, p. 228. 
misadmeasurement (mis-ad-mezh'ur-ment), . 
[< mi's- 1 + admeasurement.] A faulty estimate 
or measurement. 
The liability of the understanding to underrate or to over- 
value the importance of nn object through mere misad- 
mtasurement of its propinquity. E. A. Foe, Sphinx. 
misadventure (mis-ad-ven'tur), n. [< ME. 
misaventure, mesarenture, messauenture, contr. 
misaunter, mysaunter, < OF. mesaventure, F. 
mesaventure, < mes- + aventure, adventure: see 
mis- 2 and adventure.] An unfortunate adven- 
ture or hap; a mischance; ill luck. 
Certes, it were to vs grete harme yef this deuell lyve 
longe, what mymuenture hath he be suffred so longe. 
Merlin (E. E. T. .), iii. 580. 
Your looks are pale and wild, and do import 
Some miwid ve nture. Shak., R. andj., v. 1. 29. 
Homicide by misadventure. Bee homicide?. 
misadventuredt (mis-ad-ven'turd), a. [< w- 
adrenture + -erf 2 .] Unfortunate. 
A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life ; 
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows 
Do with their death bury their parents' strife. 
Shak., R. and J., Prol., ]. 7. 
misadventurous (mis-ad-ven'tur-us), a. [Cf. 
OF. mesaventtirettx ; as misadventure + -ous.] 
Characterized by misadventure ; unfortunate. 
The tidings of our misadventurous synod. 
Sir H. Taylor, Edwin the Fair, iv. 1. (Davits.) 
misadvertence (mis-ad-ver'tens), n. [< mis- 1 
+ advertence.] Want of proper care, heed, or 
attention; inadvertence. 
Once by misadvertence Merlin sat 
In his own chair [the Siege Perilous]. 
Tennyson, Holy Grail. 
misadvice (mis-ad-vis'), n. [< mis- 1 + advice.] 
Bad advice ; injudicious counsel. Ash. 
misadvise (mis-ad-viz'), v. t. pret. and pp. 
misadvised, ppr. misadvising. [< ME. misadrixm, 
misavisen; < mis- 1 + advise.] 1. To give bad 
advice to. 
II it be whan they hem misavise. 
Chaucer, Prol. to Wile of Bath's Tale. 
2. To misinform; deceive; cause or lead to 
act under a misapprehension. 
Pardon my passion, I was misadvised. 
B. Jonson, Mngnetick Lady, iv. 2. 
Here also happened another pageant in a certain monk 
(if I be not misadvised) of Gloucester College. 
Foxe (Arber's Eng. Gainer, I. 108). 
misadvisedly (mis-ad-vi'zed-li), adv. Under a 
misapprehension ; inconsiderately. 
3784 
misadvisedness (mis-ad-vi'zed-nes), n. The 
state of being misadvised or under a misappre- 
hension; the state of being mistaken. 
I mulvisedness coupled with heedlessness, and tnisad- 
visedness coupled with rashness, correspond to the culpa 
sine dolo. 
Bentham, Introd. to Morals and Legislation, ix. 17. 
misaffectt (mis-a-fekf), v. t. [< mis- 1 + affect 1 .] 
To dislike. 
That peace which you have hitherto so perversely mis- 
affected. Milton, On Def. of Humb. Remonst. 
misaffectedt (mis-a-fek'ted), a. [< mis- 1 + 
affected.] Ill-affected; ill-disposed. 
These men are farther yet misa/ected, and in a higher 
strain. Burton, Anat. of Mel., p. 575. 
misaffectiont (mis-a-fek'shon), H. [< mis- 1 + 
affection.] A wrong affection. 
Earthly and grosse with misafections, . . . it ushers the 
flesh of sinful courses. Bp. Hatt, Character of Man. 
inisamnn (mis-a-ferm'), r. t. [< mis- 1 + 
affirm.] To affirm incorrectly or wrongly. 
The truth of what they themselves know to be here 
misafmn'd. Milton, Eikonoklastes, Pref. 
misaimed (mis-amd'), a. [< mis- 1 + aimed.] 
Not rightly aimed or directed. Spenser. 
misallegationt (mis-al-e-ga'shon), n. [< mis- 1 
+ allegation.] An incorrect or false state- 
ment or assertion. Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 
1835), II. 361. 
misallege (mis-a-lej'), v. t.; pret. and pp. mis- 
alleged, ppr. misalleging. [< mis- 1 + allege 1 .] 
To allege erroneously; cite falsely as a proof 
or argument. 
Now-a-days they are only used to exclude and drive forth 
episcopacy ; but then they misallege antiquity. 
Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1835), II. 248. 
misalliance (mis-a-H'ans), . [< F. misalli- 
ance, < mes- + alliance, ''alliance: see mis-' 2 and 
alliance. ] An improper alliance or association ; 
specifically, a marriage relation considered as 
degrading to one of the parties, owing to the 
inferior birth or standing of the other: in the 
latter sense often used in the French form, 
mesalliance. 
Their purpose was to ally two things in nature incom- 
patible, the Gothic and the classic unity ; the effect of 
which misalliance was to discover and expose the naked- 
ness of the Gothic. Dp. Kurd, Chivalry and Romance, viii. 
misallied (mis-a-lid'), a. [< mis- 1 + allied.] 
Improperly allied or connected; affected by a 
misalliance. 
A misallied and disparaged branch of the house of Nim- 
rod. Burke, Letter to a Noble Lord. 
misallotment (mis-a-lot'ment), H. [< mis- 1 + 
allotment.] A wrong allotment, 
misaltert (mis-al'ter), v. t. [< mis- 1 + alter.] 
To alter wrongly or for the worse. 
These are all ... which have so mis-altered the leitur- 
gy that it can no more be known to be itself. 
Bp. Hall, Ans. to Apol. for Smectymnuus, I 2. 
misanswert (mis-an'ser), n. [< mis- 1 + an- 
swer.] Misuse; failure. 
After the misanswer of the one talent. 
Bp. Hall, Vayle of Moses. 
misanthrope (mis'an-throp), n. [= F. misan- 
thrope = Sp. misaniropo = Pg. misantliropo = 
It. misantropo, < Gr. fuaavOpuKof, hating man- 
kind, < fuaeiv, hate (< [uaoc,, hatred), + avOpuxoc, 
a man: see anthropic. Cf. philanthrope.] A 
hater of mankind; one who harbors dislike or 
distrust of human character or motives in gen- 
eral. 
Alas ! poor dean ! his only scope 
Was to be held a misanthrope. 
Swift, Death of Dr. Swift. 
misanthropic (mis-an-throp'ik), a. [= F. mis- 
anthropiqtte = Sp. misantropico = Pg. misan- 
thropico = It. misantropico; as misanthrope + 
-ic.] Haying the character of a misanthrope; 
characteristic of a misanthrope or of misan- 
thropy. =Syn. Cynical, Misanthropic, Pessimistic. Clini- 
cal expresses a perverse disposition to put an unfavorable 
interpretation upon conduct, or to exercise austerity under 
profession of a belief in the worthlessness of any offered 
form of enjoyment. Misanthropic expresses a hatred of 
mankind as a race. Pessimistic is primarily and generally a 
philosophical epithet, applying to those who hold that the 
tendency of things is only or on the whole toward evil. 
Byron's Childe Harold is " a jaded and misanthropic volup- 
tuary "; such a person is apt to take Acynical view of others, 
in their motives, their virtues, their happiness, etc. It 
is disputed whether Swift's " Gulliver's Travels "is really 
misanthropic or only cynical. 
misanthropical (mis-an-throp'i-kal),n. [< (*- 
ii/itlimpic + -al.] Same as misanthropic. 
misanthropically (mis-an-throp'i-kal-i), adr. 
In a misanthropic manner. 
misanthropist (mis-an'thro-pist), n. [As mis- 
aitthrope + -ist.] Same as 'misanthrope. 
misarray 
misanthropize (mis-an'tbro-piz), v. t. ; pret. 
and pp. tisantltro)>ized, ppr. misanthrojii^iiif/. 
[As misanthrope + -i^e.] To render misan- 
thropic. [Rare.] 
misanthropOSt, " [< Gr. iunav6pum^ : see mis- 
(inllirope.] A misanthrope ; a man-hater. 
I am Misanthropos, and hate mankind. 
Shak., T. of A., iv. 3. 53. 
misanthropy (inis-an'thro-pi), n. [= F. misan- 
tliropie = Sp. mixantropia = Pg. misanthropic 
= It. misantropia, < Gr. /MaavdpaKia, hatred of 
men, < ftiadvOpuTrof, hating man: see misan- 
thrope.] Hatred or dislike of mankind; the 
habit of distrusting or of taking the worst pos- 
sible view of human character or motives. 
But let not knaves misanthropy create, 
Nor feed the gall of universal hate. 
Lanyhorne, Enlargement of the Mind, i. 
Misanthropy is only philanthropy turned sour. 
J. F. Clarke, Self-Culture, p. 228. 
misapplication (mis-ap-li-ka'shon), .. [< mis- 1 
+ application.] A wrong or false application 
or purpose. 
He brings me informations, pick'd out of broken words 
in men's common talk, which, with his malicious misap- 
plication, he hopes will seem dangerous. 
Beau, and Fl., Woman -Hater, i. 3. 
misapply (mis-a-pli'), v. t. ; pret. and pp. misap- 
plied, ppr. misapplying. [< mis- 1 + appli/.] 
To make an erroneous application of ; apply or 
dispose of wrongly: as, to misapply a name or 
title; to misapply one's talents or exertions; 
to misapply public money. 
Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied. 
Shak., R. and J., ii. 3. 21. 
misappreciate (mis-a-pre'shi-at), r. t. ; pret. 
and pp. misappreciaied, ppr. misappreciating. 
[< mis- 1 + appreciate.] To fail in rightly ap- 
preciating; undervalue. 
misappreciation (mis-a-pre-shi-a'shon), . [< 
mis- 1 + appreciation.] The act or fact of mis- 
appreciating. 
There is still a sufficiency of survivors to check any grave 
misappreciation of facts. Edinburgh Rev., CXLV. 161. 
misappreciatiye (mis-a-pre'shi-a-tiv), a. [< 
mis- 1 + appreciative.] Not appreciating rightly ; 
not showing due appreciation. 
A man may look on an heroic age . . . with the eyes of 
a valet, as misappreciatioe, certainly, though not so igno- 
ble. Lowell, Among my Books. 
misapprehend (mis-ap-re-hend'),- t. [< mis- 1 
+ apprehend.] To apprehend incorrectly or 
wrongly; misunderstand; take in a wrong 
sense. 
misapprehension (mis-ap-re-hen'shon), n. [< 
mis- 1 -t- apprehension.] A mistaking or mistake; 
wrong apprehension of one's meaning or of a 
fact. 
Patient sinners may want peace through mistakes and 
misapprehensions of God. Stillingjleet, Works, III. iii. 
Well, sir, I see our misapprehension has been mutual. 
Sheridan, The Duenna, ii. 2. 
= Syn. Misconception, misunderstanding. 
misapprehensively (mis-ap-re-hen'siv-li), adv. 
By misapprehension or mistake. 
misappropriate (mis-a-pro'pri-at), v. t.; pret. 
and pp. misappropriated, ppr. misappropriating. 
[< mis- 1 + appropriate.] To appropriate wrong- 
ly; put to a wrong use: as, to misappropriate 
funds intrusted to one. 
misappropriation (mis-a-pro-pri-a'shon), n. 
[< mis- 1 T appropriation.] 1. Wrong appro- 
priation ; application to a wrong use : as, mis- 
appropriation of money. 
He made a strict inquisition into the funds of the mili- 
tary orders, in which there had been much waste and mis 
appropriation. Prescott, Ferd. and Isa., ii. 25. 
2. Appropriation with misapplication: as, the 
misappropriation of a term. 
Linnteus applied this and other similar terms to the 
pupa, and not to the metamorphosis, the confusion origi- 
nating in their misappropriation by Fabricius. Westwood. 
niisarrange (mis-a-ranj'), r. t. ; pret. and pp. 
MJMtVMMwt ppr. misarranging. [< mis- 1 + ar- 
range.] To arrange wrongly; place improperly 
or in a wrong order. 
misarrangement(mis-a-ranj'ment), . [< mix- 1 
+ arrangement.] Wrong or disorderly arrange- 
ment. 
Here glitt'ring turrets rise, upbearing high 
(Fantastic mi#arrangements!) on the roof 
Large growth of what may seem the sparkling trees 
And shrubs of fairy land. Cowper, Task, v. 111. 
misarray (mis-a-ra'), n. [< mi"- 1 + array.] 
Want of proper array or ordering; confusion; 
disorder. 
Tli"M uproar wild and mfcarrai/ 
Marred the fair form of festal day. 
Scott, L. of the L., v. 27. 
