miscarry 
An the child I now go with do miscarry, thou wert bet- 
ter thou hadst struck thy mother. 
Shale., 2 Hen. IV., v. 4. 10. 
II. t trans. To mismanage ; bring to misfor- 
tune or failure. Morte Arthure (E. E. T. S.), 
1. 1237. 
miscast (mis-kasf), . * and i.; pret. and pp. 
miscast, ppr. miscasting. [< mis- 1 + casfi.} I. 
To cast or reckon erroneously. 
The number is somewhat miscast by Polybiua. 
Raleigh, Hist. World, V. ii. 8. 
You haue mis-cast in your Arithmetick, 
Mis-laid your Counters. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, i. 1. 
2. To cast or direct erroneously or improperly : 
as, to miscast a glance. 
It so befelle 
That I at thilke tyme sie 
On me that she mwcaate hir eie. 
Qirwer, Conf. Aiuant., iii. 
miscast (mis-kasf), . [< miscast, v."] An er- 
roneous cast or reckoning, 
miscasualty (mis-kaz'u-al-ti), n. ; pi. miscasu- 
alties (-tiz). [< mis- 1 + casualty.} An unfor- 
tunate occurrence ; a mischance. 
Miscarriages of children, miscasualties. unquietnesse. 
Bp. Hall, Character of Man. 
miscatholic (mis-kath'o-lik), a. [< mis- 1 + cath- 
olic. ] Falsely styled or claiming to be Catholic ; 
pseudo-Catholic. 
Judge then, reader, whether the catholike bishope that 
wrote this, or the miscatholike masse-priest that reproves 
it, be more worthy of Bedleem. 
Bp. Hall, Honour of Married Clergy, iii. 3. 
miscegenation (mis"e-je-na'shpn), n. [Irreg. < 
L. miscere, mix, + genus, race, -T- -ation.} Mix- 
ture or amalgamation of races: applied espe- 
cially to sexual union between individuals of 
the black and white races. 
Individuals sometimes show a desperate desire for mis- 
cegenation, but they indulge it always at the expense of a 
loss of the respect of both races. If. A. Rev., CXXXIX. 83. 
miscellanarian (mis*e-la-na'ri-an), . and n. 
[< miscellany + -arian.} 1. a. Of or pertaining 
to miscellanies, in either sense ; connected with 
or engaged in miscellaneous matters. 
The celebrated wits of the miscellanarian race, and essay 
writers, casual discourse, reflection coiners, meditation 
founders, and others of the irregular kind of writers. 
Shaftesbury, Misc. Reflec., ii. 3. 
II. . A writer of miscellanies. 
miscellanet (mis'e-lan), n. [< L. miscellaneus, 
mixed: see miscellaneous. Cf . maslitft, ult. < L. 
miscere, mix.] Same as maslinP. 
miscellanea (mis-e-la'ne-ii), n. pi. [L., neut. 
pi. of miscellaneus, mixed: see miscellaneous.} 
A collection of miscellaneous matters of any 
kind; specifically, a collection of miscellaneous 
literary compositions; miscellanies. 
miscellaneous (mis-e-la'ne-us), a. [= F. mis- 
cellanee (see miscellany) = Pg. It. miscellanea, < 
L. miscellaneus, < miscellus, mixed, < miscere, 
mix : see mix 1 .} 1. Consisting of a mixture ; di- 
versified ; promiscuous : as, miscellaneous read- 
ing; a miscellaneous rabble. 
My second boy, . . . whom I designed for business, re- 
ceived a sort of miscellaneous education at home. 
Goldsmith, Vicar, i. 
My sitting-room is an old wainscoted chamber, with 
small panels, and set off with a miscellaneous array of fur- 
niture. Irving, Sketch-Book, p. 300. 
2. Producing things of various sorts : as, a mis- 
cellaneous inventor. 
Claudius .Kliuiius flourished in the reign of Trajan, unto 
whom he dedicated his Tin-ticks ; an elegant and miscella- 
neous author. Sir T. Broume, Vulg. Err., i. 8. 
= Syn. 1. See promiscuous. 
miscellaneously (mis-e-la'ne-us-li), adr. In a 
miscellaneous or mixed manner; with variety 
or diversity ; promiscuously. 
miscellaneousness(mis-e-la'ne-us-nes), n. The 
quality or state of being miscellaneous or mixed; 
diversified composition. 
The . . . miscellaneousness of Borne, which made the 
mind flexible with constant comparison, and saved you 
from seeing the world's ages as a set of box-like partitions 
without vital connection. George Eliot, Middlemarch, xxri. 
miscellanist (mis'e-la-nist), n. [< miscellany + 
-ist.} A writer of miscellanies. 
miscellany (mis'e-la-ni), a. and n. [I. a.: see 
miscellaneous. II. n. = F. miscellanies, pi., = 
Sp. misceldnea = Pg. It. miscellanea, < L. mis- 
cellanea, a writing on various subjects, a mix- 
ture of different sorts of broken meats, neut. 
?1. of miscellaneus, mixed: see miscellaneous.} 
. a. Miscellaneous; diversified Miscellany 
madam*, a woman who went about selling laces, per- 
fumery, etc., and took part in carrying on intrigues. 
As a waiting-woman, I would taste my lady's delights to 
her; as a miscellany madam, invent new tires, and go visit 
courtiers. B. Jonson, Cynthia's Revels, iv. 1. 
3786 
II. ii. ; pi. miscellanies (-niz). 1. A mixture 
of various kinds ; a combination of diverse ob- 
jects, parts, or elements. 
'Tis but a bundle or miscellany of sin. 
Hewyt, Sermon (1658), p. 4. (Latham.) 
Not like the piebald miscellany, man, 
Bursts of great heart and slips in sensual mire, 
But whole and one. Tennyson, Princess, v. 
mischievous 
Hee arriues not at the mischiefe of being wise, nor en- 
dures euils to come by foreseeing them. 
Bp. Ea.rU, Micro cosmographie, A Childe. 
The mischief was these allies would never allow that 
the common enemy was subdued. Swift. 
2. The act, state, course, or disposition of 
causing annoyance, trouble, or harm; vexa- 
tious or injurious operation or tendency; the 
2. A diversified literary collection ; a book or working of damage or disaster: as, the clouds 
periodical publication containing compositions bode mischief; what mischief is he up to now? 
on various subjects. 
Every old woman in the nation now reads daily a vast 
miscellany in one volume royal octavo. 
De Quincey, Style, i. 
= Syn. 1. See mixture. 
miscellinet, a. [< L. miscellus, mixed, + -inel.} 
Mixed ; incongruous. 
The present trade of the stage, in all their misceUine in- 
terludes, what learned or liberal soul doth not already ab- 
hor? B. Jomon, Volpone, Ded. 
miscensure (mis-sen'shor), v. t.; pret. and pp. 
misceiisured, ppr. miscensuring. [< mis- 1 + cen- 
sure, c.] To censure wrongfully or without 
cause. 
Pardon us, Antiquitie, if we miscensure your actions. 
Daniel, Hist. Eng., p. 101. (Davits.) 
miscensure (mis-sen'shjjr), n. [< mis- 1 + cen- 
sure, .] Unjust censure ; censure wrongly di- 
rected. 
Therefore, my Friends, returne, recant, re-call 
Your hard Opinions and mis-Censures all. 
Job Triumphant (tr. by Sylvester), ii. 162. 
mischallenget (mis-chal'enj), n. [< mis-l + 
challenge.} A false or wrong challenge ; a chal- 
lenge given amiss. 
Lo ! faitour, there thy meede unto thee take, 
The meede of thy mischalenge and abet. 
Spenser, F. Q., IV. iii. 11. 
mischance (mis-Chans'), re. [< ME. myschaunce, 
meschaunce, meschance, mescheance, < OF. mes- 
chance, mescheance, an unfortunate chance, < 
mes- + chance, cheance, chance : see mis- 2 and 
chance.} An unfortunate chance; a mishap; 
ill luck; disaster. 
The kynge spake to his barons, and seide that sore hym 
for thought the myschaunce of the Duke. 
Merlin (E. E. T. S.), 1. 78. 
Let thy dauntless mind 
Still ride in triumph over all mischance. 
5Ao*., 3 Hen. VI., iii. 3. 18. 
By mischance he slipt and fell ; 
A limb was broken when they lifted him. 
Tennyson, Enoch Arden. 
= Syn. Mishap, Disaster, etc. See misfortune. 
mischance (mis-Chans'), v. i. ; pret. and pp. mis- 
chanced, ppr. mischancing. [< mis- 1 + chance, 
often used in a kindly or playful sense, or for 
affectionate excuse : as, the lad is full of mis- 
chief, but not vicious. 
Come, boy, with me ; my thoughts are ripe in mischief. 
Ska*., T. N., v. 1. 132. 
But when to mischief mortals bend their will, 
How soon they find fit instruments of ill ! 
Pope, R. of the L., iii. 125. 
Brom Bones . . . was always ready for either a fight or 
a frolic ; but had more mischief than ill-will in his com- 
position. Irving, Sketch-Book, p. 431. 
3. One who or that which does harm or causes 
injury or vexation ; a source of trouble or an- 
noyance: as, that child is a mischief. 
Many of their horse . . . were now more a mischief to 
their own than before a terror to their enemies. Milton, 
Nature, as in duty bound, 
Deep hid the shining mischief [gold] underground. 
Pope, Moral Essays, iii. 10. 
4. Annoyance, injury, or damage caused or 
produced; harm; hurt: as, to do mischief; ir- 
remediable mischief: now never used in the 
plural. 
On the tother side dide well the kynge Carados, and the 
kynge de Cent Chiualers ; these suffred many myscheites. 
Merlin (E. E. T. S.), ii. 163. 
But Benjamin, Joseph's brother. Jacob sent not with his 
brethren ; for he said, Lest peradventure mischief befall 
him. Gen. xlii. 4. 
I will heap mischiefs upon them. Dent, xxxii. 23. 
We that have lived these last twenty years are certain 
that money has been able to do much mischief, 
I. Walton, Complete Angler, p. 112. 
Ill reach 'em, mother. . . . She wants to do everything 
herself. . . . But I can't let her do herself a mischief with 
stretching. George Eliot, Daniel Deronda, xxxiii. 
5. The devil. [Colloq.] Malicious mischief. 
See malicious. to play the mischief, to cause trouble, 
damage, or injury. To play the mischief with, to agi- 
tate or disturb greatly ; throw into disorder or confusion ; 
play the devil with. What the mischief (formerly 
what a mischief), an interrogatory exclamation equal 
to 'what the devil ': as, what the mischief are you doing? 
what the mischief do you mean by that? [Colloq.] With 
a mischief I, with a vengeance. 
The matronly medicines and instructions of this wise 
cunning woman will in a little time make her encrease with 
a vengeance, and multiply with a mischiefe. 
John Taylor, Works (1630). (Nares.) 
V.} To chance or happen wrongly or unfortu- With a mischief to you, confound you ; devil take you. 
nately ; fall out adversely ; meet with a mishap ; Bide down, with a mischief to ye, bide down, 
come to ill luck. Scott, Fortunes of Nigel, xxvii. 
And still I hoped to be up advaunced, =Syn. Damage, Harm, etc. See injury. 
For my good parts; but still it has mischaunced. miscMeft (mis'chif), V. [Also mischieve; earlv 
Spenser, Mother Hub. Tale, l. 64. mo d. E. also mischeef; < ME. mischeven, mes- 
[f anv such fortune should bee fas God forbid} that thn 
sh 
harm; 
- youre fader, and of youre moder, and youre broder and sus- 
miSCnaracterize (mis-kar ak-ter-iz), v. t. ; pret. tres, that thus be myscheved. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), i. 8. 
and pp. mischaracterized, ppr. mischaracterizing. Henry Purdie proved his cost, 
[< mis- 1 + characterize.} To characterize falsely And V . ei 7 narrowlie had mischief 'd him. 
or erroneously ; impute a wrong character to. RaM f the RetdsU!ire (Child's Ballads, VI. 135). 
H. intrans. To come to harm or misfortune; 
miscarry. 
When pryde is moste in prys, 
Ande couetyse moste wys, . . . 
Thenne schall Englonde mys-chewe. 
Booke of Precedence (E. E. T. 8., extra ser.), i. 85. 
mischief-maker ( mis'chif- ma 'ker), n. One 
mischarge (mis-charj'), v. t.; pret. and pp. mis- 
charged, ppr. mischarging. [< mis- 1 + charge.} 
To make error in charging : as, to mischarge 
items in an account. 
mischarge (mis-charj'), n. [< mischarge, i:} 
an erroneous 
mischief (mis'chif ),. [<ME. myschief, mis- 
chief, mischeef, mischef, meschief, mescheef, mes- 
chef,< OF. meschicf meschef, 
'chif-ma" 
Mak- 
or contineencv an action or occurr-fir. at mischievous (mis chi-vus), a. 
^ 
[< ME. *mes- 
OF. (AF.) mesclievous, < meschief, 
x 
frustrating, or hurtful state or conditioi of tarm : see SC 7 ? /] 1 Producing or tend:ng 
things ; misfortune ; calamity : used with much * F odue , e mischief or harm ; mjunous ; dele- 
latitude of application : as, some one is making terlous '' hurtful - 
mischief; the mischief is that he cannot kee? fg^S!SfSS 
his temper. 
Whan Kay saugh that the kynge was at so grete myschef, 
he griped his swerde, and come ther the kynge was ouer- 
throwen. Merlin (E. E. T. S.), i. 119. 
Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee 
which frameth mischief by a law ? PS. xciv. 20. 
trth reproches rife 
les. 
Spenser, F. Q., III. vi. 14. 
Lam is an Epithete which they giue to Degnal, signify- 
ing wicked or mischieuous. Purchas, Pilgrimage, p. 296. 
The mass of the community are persuaded that his [Hus- 
kisson's] plans are mischievous to the last degree. 
Greville, Memoirs, Sept. 18, 1830. 
