miscount 
(said of a clock), < men- + confer, count: see 
mis- 2 and count 1 .] I. trans. 1. To count erro- 
neously ; mistake in counting. 
In their computacion they had mistaken and miscounted 
in their nomber an hnndreth years. 
Hall, Hen. VIII., an. 15. 
2. To account wrongly; misjudge or miscon- 
strue. 
While my honest heat 
Were all miscounted as malignant haste. 
Tennyson, Princess, iv. 
II. intrans. To make a false reckoning. 
And if so be that he miscounleth, 
To make in his answers a faile. 
Gower, Conf. Amant., i. 
Thus do all men generally miscount in the days of their 
health. Bp. Patrick, Divine Arithmetic, p. 8. 
miscount (mis-kounf), n. [< miscount, v.] 
An erroneous counting or numbering. 
miscovetingt (mis-kuv'et-ing), n. [ME. mis- 
coveeting ; < mis- 1 + coveting.] Wrongful cov- 
eting. 
She makith folk compasse and caste 
To taken other folkis thyng, 
Thorough robberie or myscoveitinff. 
Horn, of the Rose, 1. 196. 
miscreancet (mis'kre-ans), n. [< OF. mescre- 
ance (F. mecreance = 'lt. miscredenza), unbelief, 
< mescreant, unbelieving: see miscreant.] Un- 
belief; false faith; adherence to a false reli- 
gion. 
But through this, and other their miscreaunee, 
They maken many a wrong chevisaunce. 
Spenser, Shep. Cal., May. 
3788 
misdisposition 
The miscredited Twelve hasten back to the chateau for 
an answer in writing. Carlyle, French Kev., I. vii. 7. 
miscredulity (mis-krf-du'li-ti), n. [< mis- 1 + 
credulity.] Misdirected credulity ; belief or 
credulity erroneously directed, or resting on a n Sdemeanor, misdemeanour (mis-de-me'- 
wrong object. 
It [Canada] was no penal colony ; they were no set of 
political convicts or social misdemeanants sent out to be 
gotten rid of by the home government. 
Amer. Jour. PhUol., VII. 146. 
We cannot but justly tax the miscredulity of those who 
will rather trust to the Church than to the Scripture. 
Bp. Hatt, Select Thoughts, 6. 
miscreed (mis-kred'), . [< mis- 1 + creed.] An 
erroneous or false creed. [Bare.] 
Why then should man, teasing the world for grace. 
Spoil his salvation for a fierce miscreed ? 
Keats, Posthumous Poems, Sonnets, xiv. 
miscrop (mis-krop'), n. [< mis- 1 + crop.] Fail- 
ure of a crop ; scantiness in a harvest. 
miscue (mis-ku'), n. [< mis- 1 + cue 1 .] In bil- 
liards, an accidental slip of the cue at the mo- 
ment of making a stroke, causing the tip to 
nor), H. [Formerly also misdemeanur'e, and 
improp. misdemeanor; <mis- 2 + demeanor: see 
misdemean.] 1. Ill behavior; evil conduct; 
fault. 
glance off the ball instead of striking it fairly 
as intended, 
misdate (mis-daf), n. [< mis- 1 + date 1 , n.] 
wrong date, 
misdate (mis-daf), v. t. ; pret. and pp. misdated, 
ppr. misdating. [< mis- 1 + date 1 , v.] To date 
erroneously ; give a false or wrong date to. 
In hoary youth Methusalems may die ; 
how misdated on their nattering tombs ! 
Young, Mght Thoughts, v. 777. 
God takes a particular notice of our personal misde- 
meanors. South, Works, IX. xii. 
2. In law, an offense of a less grave nature than 
an indictable felony. See crime and felony. 
A crime or misdemesiwr is an act committed, or omit- 
ted, in violation of a public law either forbidding or com- 
manding it. Blackstone, Com., IV. i. 
3f. Mismanagement; mistake in management 
or treatment. 
Some natural! fault in the soil, or misdemeanure of the 
owners. Seasonable Sermon, p. 25 (1644). (Latham.) 
= 8yn. 1. Misdeed, misconduct, misbehavior, trespass, 
. transgression, misdoing. 2. See crime and offense. 
A misdepartt (mis-de-parf), v. t. [ME. misde- 
parten ; < mis- 1 + depart.] To part or distrib- 
ute unequally. 
He misdeparteth richesse temporal. 
Chaucer, Man of Law's Tale, 1. 9. 
misderive (mis-de-riv'), v. t.; pret. and pp. mis- 
derived, ppr. misderiving. [< mis- 1 + derive.] 
If. To divert from the proper course ; mislead ; 
misdirect. 
misconduct one's self. 2. In card-playing, to 
make an incorrect distribution of the cards. 
ng 
The more usual causes of deprivation are murder, man- 
slaughter, heresy, miscreancy, atheism, simony. 
Ayliffe, Parergon. 
2. The state of being a miscreant ; turpitude. 
Does the audacity of man present us with such another 
instance of perfidious miscreancy? 
De tycincey, Essenes, ii. 
miscreant (mis'kre-ant), a. and n. [< ME. mis- 
creant, miscreaunt,'<."OF. mescreant, F. mecrennt 
(= It. miscredente), misbelieving, unbelieving, 
< mes- H- creant, believing : see mis- 2 and creanfl, 
credent.] I. a. If. Misbelieving; unbelieving; 
infidel. 
Al miscreant painyms, al false Jewes, al false heretikes 
and al sedicious scismatikes. Sir T. More, Works, p. 774. 
2. Vile; detestable. 
For men like these on earth he shall not find 
In all the miscreant race of human kind. 
Pope, Odyssey, xvii. 667. 
II. n. If. An unbeliever ; a misbeliever. 
Robert . . . dyd many notable acts ... at thewynnynge misdeed (mie-ded'), n. 
of the citye of Aeon vpon the myscreantes & Turkes. 
Mob. of Brunne, p. 102, note. 
That miscreantes whilom gan honoure, 
As lor their goddis thaim deyflyng. 
Rom. of Partenay (E. E. T. S.), Int, 1. 52. 
The emperor's generosity to the miscreants was inter- 
preted as treason to the Christian cause. 
Gibbon, Decline and Fall, Iviii. 
2. A vile wretch; a scoundrel; a detestable 
villain. 
Thou art a traitor and a miscreant. 
Shak., Rich. II., i. 1. 39. 
miscreatet (mis-kre-af ), a. [< mis- 1 + create, 
a.] Formed unnaturally or illegitimately; de- 
formed; monstrous; spurious. 
Or nicely charge your understanding soul 
With opening titles miscreate, whose right 
Suits not in native colours with the truth 
Shak., Hen. V., L 2. 16. 
miscreated (mis-kre-a'ted), a. [< mis- 1 + cre- 
ated.] Same as miscreate. 
For nothing might abash the villein bold, 
Ne mortall steele emperce his miscreated mould. 
Spenser, F. Q., II. vii. 42. 
What art thou, execrable shape ! 
That darest, though grim and terrible, advance , . 
Thy miscreated front. Milton, P. L., ii. 683. miSdemean (mis-de-men'), V. 
miscreation (mis-kre-a'shon), n. [< mis- 1 + 
creation.] A faulty' or unnatural making or 
creation. 
misdaub (mis-dab'), v. t. [< mis- 1 + daub.] To 
daub unskilfully; spoil by daubing. [Rare.] 
Misdaubed with some untempered and lately-laid mor- 
tar. Bp. Hall, To a Worthy Knight. 
misdeal (mis-del'), n. [< mis- 1 + deal 1 , n.] In 
card-playing a wrong deal; a deal in which WsdVscriVe\mTs-d7stkrib'')7.lTpret!an'd"pp: 
the players do not all receive the proper num- misdescribed, ppr. misdescribing. [< mis- 1 + de- 
iSflS& ^IS "5!"L-. <] To describe falsely or erroneously. 
Misderimng-ttte well-meant devotions of charitable and 
pious souls into a wrong channel. 
Bp. Halt, Cases of Conscience, iii. 7. 
2. To err in deriving: as, to misderive a word. 
goods by an importer. 
I recently set myself the task of classifying them into 
the four classes of successful, partially successful, mis- 
descriptions, and failures. 
Proc. Soc. Psych. Research, III. 427. 
Fie on you, all the Honors in your flst, 
Countship, Househeadship how have you misdealt! 
Browning, Ring and Book, I. 164. 
II. trans. To deal or divide improperly; make misdesertt (mis-de-zerf), n. [< mis- 1 + desert 1 *.] 
a wrong deal of, as of the cards in card-playing. Ill desert. 
?nrfy + *" 
wrongly. 
" " Ot oc <" i ' , 
But through misfortune. Spenser F Q! VI i 12 
(mis-de-vo'shon), n. [< mis- 1 + 
ptty."' Mlsdirected devotlon 5 
A place where 
^ thousand pr 
1' ne church knew not, heav'n knows not yet. 
rayers to saints whose very names 
' Donne. 
the 
2. A wrong or erroneous decision. 
The judge paid a penalty lor his misdeciwm. 
Brougham. 
[< ME. misdede, < AS. 
misdaid (= OS. misdad = OFries. misded = D. misdiet (mis-di'et), n. 
misdaad = MLG. misddt = OHG. missitdt, mis- Improper diet or food. 
tat, MHG. missetat, G. missethat = Sw. missdad A dry dropsie through his flesh did flow, 
= Dan. misdaad = Goth, missadeds), a wrong Which by misdiet daily greater grew, 
act, misdeed, < mis- + deed, deed : see mis- 1 and Spenser, F. Q., I. iv. 23. 
deed. Misdeedis the oldest existing noun with misdiett (mis-di'et), v. i. [< mis- 1 + diet 1 , v.] 
the prefix mis-. Cf. misdo.] An evil or mis- To eat improper or injurious food; diet irregu- 
larly or improperly. 
[< mis- 1 + diet 1 , n.] 
chievous deed ; a reprehensible or wicked ac- 
tion. 
By my grete mysdede here hym slayn haue I. 
Rom. of Partenay (E. E. T. S.), 1. 29a 
I am clear from this misdeed of Edward's. 
Shak., S Hen. VI., iii. 3. 183. 
= Syn. See list under misdemeanor. 
misdeem (mis-dem'), v. t. [< ME. misdemen (= 
Icel. misdanma) ; < mis- 1 + deem 1 .] To judge 
erroneously ; misjudge ; mistake in judging. 
Were we unchangeable in will, 
And of a wit that nothing could misdeem.. 
Sir J. Davies, Immortality, viii. 
A Stripling's graces blow, 
Fade, and are shed, that from their timely fall 
(Misdeem it not a cankerous change) may grow 
Rich mellow bearings, that for thanks shall call. 
Wordsworth, Sonnets, it 26. 
[< OF. "mesde- 
mener, < mes- + dem'ener,Te&., conduct (oneself): misdirection (mis-di-rek'shon), n. [< mis- 
Bee mis- 2 and demean 1 .] I. trans. To behave J; " 
(one's self) ill ; conduct (one's self) improperly. 
Cities peopled with savages and imps of our own mis- 
Kinysley, Life, II. 277. 
miscreative (mis-kre-a'tiv), a. [< mis- 1 + crea- 
tive. ] Tending to wrong creation ; that creates 
amiss. Shelley. 
miscredentt (mis- kre' dent), n. [< mis- 1 + 
You, that best should teach us, 
Have misdemean'd yourself. 
Shak., Hen. VIII., v. 3. 14. 
II. intrans. To misbehave. 
But when our neighbours mis-demean, 
Our censures are exceeding keen. 
C. Smart, tr. of Phsodrns, p. 149. 
credent (after the older miscreant, q. v.).] An misdemeanant (mis-de-me''nant), n. [< 'oF. 
unbeliever : an infiH^l a m!..-/. ,.<>..,.* L . 
unbeliever ; an infidel ; a miscreant. 
Your sermon to vs of a dungeon appointed for offenders 
and miscredents. 
Stanihurst, in Holinshed's Descrip. of Ireland, iv. 
miscredit (mis-kred'it), v.t. [< mis- 1 + credit. ] 
To give no credit or belief to ; disbelieve. 
"mesdemenant, ppr. of 
mean: see mi. 
commits a misdemeanor; a person guilty of 
a petty crime. 
Misdemeanants who have money in their pockets may 
be seen in many of our prisons. Sydney Smith. 
Certainly this great body by mis-dieting and willfull dis- 
order contracted these spiritual! diseases. 
Bp. Hatt, Balm of Oilead. 
misdietert (mis-di'e-ter), . One who misdiets. 
If, consorting with misdieters, he bathe himselfe in the 
muddy streames of their luxury and ryot, he is in the very 
next suburbes of death it selfe. 
Optick Glass of Humours (1639). (Nares.) 
misdightt(mis-dit'),a. [(mis- 1 + dight.] Badly 
dressed. 
Despis'd nature suit them once aright, 
Their bodie to their coate, both now mis-ditjht. 
Bp. Hall, Satires, iii. 7. 
misdirect (mis-di-rekf), v. t. [< mis- 1 + direct.] 
To direct wrongly, (a) To give erroneous information 
or instruction to. (6) To give a wrong course or direction 
to. (c) To write an incorrect address upon : as, to misdi- 
rect a letter. 
1 + 
direction.] The act of misdirecting, or the state 
of being misdirected ; wrong direction; an er- 
roneous indication, guidance, or instruction : 
as, the misdirection of a letter; a judge's misdi- 
rections to the jury. 
Through ignorance or misdirection it may limit or en- 
feeble the animal or being that misguides it 
E. H. Clarke, Sex in Education, p. 26. 
Egoists would regard this as chimerical and impossible, 
or, if possible, a plain misdirection of efforts. 
//. Sidfju-ick, Methods of Ethics, p. 204. 
misdispositiont (mis-dis-po-zish'on), n. [< 
mix- 1 + disposition.] Bad disposition. 
Besides supernatural delusions, there is a deceit of the 
sight ; whether through the indisposition of the organ or 
the distance of the object, or the misdiapositinn of the 
medium. Bp. Hall, The Deceit of Appearance. 
