misdistinguish 
misdistinguish (iins-dis-lin^'^wish), r. i. [< 
;(..-' 4- ilixliHiinixli.\ To distinguish wrongly 
or erroneously ; make fulsi> distinctions. 
If we imagine a dilfereiuu' where there IB none, because 
we ilistiimnMi uli.'ir i- slumlil not, It may m>t be denied 
thut we minilMinijuish. lltKikfr, Kecli-s. I'olity, iii. f a. 
misdivide dnm-di-vid'), i 1 . I-', prot. and pp. min- 
iliriil/'il, ppr. niixiHi-iiliinj. [< H//.V-! + dii'idr.] 
To divide wrongly. 
misdivision (mis-di-vizh'on), ;i. [< ii'-l + 
dii-ixiiiii. ] A wrong or faulty division. 
misdO (mis-do"), r.; ]>rct. mixdid, pp. lilixdnili; 
ppr. mixdiiiiKj. [< M K. mixdoii, < AS. mixdon ( = 
OFrics. iiii-iil mi = I), mixdoen = MLG. mixdon 
= OHG. missatiiini, uiixxiduan, MHG. missi'tumi). 
act wrongly, offend, < MII.V- + rfon, do: sec ;/'*-' 
and (to 1 .] i. trans. If. To do wrong to; treat 
badly. Chaucer. 2. To do or perform amiss. 
Ergo, soule Bhal siiule quyte and synne to synne wende, 
And al that man hath mysdo I, man, wyl amende. 
Piers Plowman (K), xvili. S3. 
II. intnuis. To act amiss; err in action or 
conduct. 
If I have misdone, 
As I hare wrong'd indeed both you and yours. 
Greene, James IV., v. 
Not wilfully misdoing, but unaware 
Misled. Milton, P. K., i. 225. 
misdoer (mis-do" er), n. [< ME. misdoere; < mis- 
do + -er 1 .'] One who misdoes or does wrong; 
one who commits a fault or crime ; an evil-doer. 
(They] compel all men to follow them, strengthening 
their kingdom with the multitude of all misdoert. 
Tyiidalc, Ans. to sir T. More, etc. (Parker Soc.), p. 115. 
Were they not contained in duty with a fear of law, 
whk'h tntlicteth sharp punishments to misdoers, no man 
should enjoy anything. Spenser, State of Ireland. 
misdoing (mis-do'ing), n. [Verbal n. of misdo, 
v.] A wrong done; a fault or crime; an of- 
fense. 
Pandulph, a lawier, and Durant, a templer, comming 
Mid i King John, exhorted him ... to reforme his mis- 
doaings. Holinshed, King John, an. 1211. 
misdoomt (mis-dom'), r. t. [< mis- 1 + doom. Cf. 
misdeem.] To misjudge. 
Know, there shall ludgement come, 
To doom them right who Others, rash, misdoom. 
Job Triumphant (tr. by Sylvester), ii. 287. 
misdoubt (mis-douf), [< mis- 1 + doubt 1 , v.] 
1. trans. 1 . To suspect ; regard with suspicion . 
[Now colloq.] 
That which was costly he feared was not dainty, and, 
though the invention were delicate, he misdoubted the 
making. Sir P. Sidney, Arcadia, iii. 
We put him in charge of a woman who said she'd take 
care of him, but I misdoubt her. 
C. F. Woolson, Anne, p. 371. 
2. To think ; have a suspicion or inkling of. 
We misdoubted that they would be slaine by the way. 
UoMuyt's Voyages, I. 70. 
II. intrans. To entertain doubt ; have a sus- 
picion. 
Misdoubting much, and fearful of the event. 
Dryden, Wife of Bath's Tale, 1. 116. 
I misdoubt much if yon do not begin to forswear Eng- 
land. The Century, XXVI. 822. 
misdoubt (mis-douf), [< mis- 1 + doubt 1 .] 
1. Unnecessary or unworthy doubt; irresolu- 
tion; hesitation. 
Now, York, or never, steel thy fearful thoughts, 
And change misdoubt to resolution. 
Shale. , 2 Hen. VI., iii. 1. 382. 
2f. Suspicion, as of crime or danger. 
He cannot so precisely weed this land 
As his misdoubts present occasion. 
Shalt., 2 Hen. IV., iv. 1. 206. 
Use not 
So hard a language ; your inimtoubt is causeless. 
Ford, Broken Heart, v. 1. 
misdoubtfult (mis-dout'ful), a. [< misdoubt + 
-fnl.] Misgiving; mistrusting; suspicious. 
She gan to cast in her misdoubtfull mimic 
A thousand f cares. Spenser, V. Q., V. vL 8. 
misdraw (mis-dra'), '! pret. misdrew, pp. mis- 
(Irnirn, ppr. mixdraiFiiig. [< ME. misdrniren ; 
< mix- 1 + dm ic.] I. trims. To draw or draft 
badly. 
Tin- practical arguments and the legal disquisitions in 
America are often like those of trustees currying out a 
misdrau-n will. Bagthat, Eng. Const. (Boston ed.), p. 286. 
There were also 40 diagrams, ... all mudraim. 
Proe. Soc. Psych. Research, III. 427. 
II. iiitranx. To fall apart, 
misdrawing (mis-dra'ing). . [Verbal n. of 
niixdniir, r.] Distraction: falling apart. 
For flu- rt'MlriH' ne sholde not seine blisful, yif there 
were a yok of mt/edrawynoes in diverse ]>:trtii>*. 
Chaucer, Boethius, ill. prose 12. 
3789 
misdreadt (mis-drcd'), v. t. [< mix- 1 + dread.] 
To regard with ilrcad or foreboding, 
misdreadt (mis-dred'), . [< /nix-' + dread.] 
Dread of evil ; foreboding. 
The passions of the mind, 
I li;it biivu thi-ir tlrst i-iini'fptiiin by mit-drni'l. 
\\.\\f after-nourishment and life by care. 
Shot., Pericles, i. 2. 13. 
mise't (mi/.; F. pron. me/.). . [< ME. "miff, < 
i >K. mi xi . a putting, set ting, laying i ml. c.\|,..n~c, 
judgment, tax, etc., F. mixr, ii putting, -citing, 
dre8j etc.,< ML. missa (also misa, after OF.), 
a laying out, expense, fern, of miium* (>F. mix), 
pp. of iititt<-rr ( > F. ini-ttrf), send, put: sec //>- 
xion.] 1. Outlay; disbursement; expenditure. 
Hence, in Kmj. hilt. : (a) A gift of cattle, produce, or 
money made to a superior as a commutation, or to secure 
immunity from taxes, Ones, and other impositions; thus, 
formerly, In Wales, an honorary gift of the people to a new 
king or prince of Wales ; also, a tribute paid In the county 
palatine ot Chester in England at the change of the owner 
of the earldom. The phrase the mite was often used to 
designate the revenue thus accruing to the crown or lord. 
(6) Any payment made to secure a liberty or immunity ; 
tax or tallage. 
Unnecessary Impositions by way of excise, loans, mites, 
weekly and monthly assessments. 
British Bellman, 1648(Harl. Misc., VII. 628). (Danes) 
2. In common-lino procedure, in a writ of right, 
a traverse by which both parties put the cause 
directly upon the question as to which had the 
better right. A traverse upon some collateral 
point in a writ of right was called an issue, as 
in other actions. 
A court which may try the mise. joined upon a writ of 
right. 
W. Helton, Lex Manerlorum (1726), p. 86. (Kneyc. Diet.) 
1 think there can be no doubt that, upon the mix joined 
on the mere right, every affirmative matter going to the 
right and title of the demandant, the want of which might 
have been pleaded In bar of this action (as contradistin- 
guished from matter in abatement^ is necessarily put in 
issue. Lee, J., in 10 Oratt. (Va.), 865. 
3. Arbitration, or a settlement or agreement 
reached by arbitration. See phrases below. 
Mise of Amiens, the decision in favor of Henry III. of 
England rendered on January 23d, 1284, by Louis IX. of 
France, to whom the difficulties between Henry and cer- 
tain of his rebellious barons had been referred for arbi- 
tration. Mise of Lewes, the compact agreement, or 
compromise by which, in May, 1264, the difficulties exist- 
ing between Henry III. of England and his rebellious 
barons were settled. 
The "Mise of Leu-ei," the capitulation which secured the 
safety of the king, contained seven articles. 
Stubbs, Const. Hist., f 177. 
mise 2 t, n. See mease 1 . 
miseaset (rnis-eV). n. [< ME. miaeise, museise, 
meseise, misese, < OF. "meseise, mesaise, F. mes- 
aise, discomfort, < mes- + eite, aise. ease : see 
mis- 2 and ease. Cf. malease, disease.] Discom- 
fort; trouble. 
And so endured the kynge In grete mytesr for love of 
Ygeroe, and at laste he complayned hym-self to tweyne 
that he moche trusted of grete angwysshe. 
Merlin (E. E. T. S.X 1. 64. 
So that he moste for mysese awel at the ende. 
Robert of Gloucester, p. 84. 
miseasedt (mis-ezd'), a. [ME. misesed; < mis- 
ease + -edV.] Having discomfort or trouble. 
Thanne is mlsericorde, as selth the phllosophre, a vertu 
by which the corage of man is stlred by the mysese of hym 
that is mysesed. Chaucer, Parson's Tale. 
miseasyt (mis-e'zi), a. [ME. misesy; < misease 
+ -yi.j Uneasy; uncomfortable. 
Standyng is me beste, vnneth male I llgge for pure mis- 
easie sorowe. Testament o/ Lore, L 
miseditiont (mis-e-dish'on), n. [< mis- 1 + edi- 
tion.] A wrong e'diting;' an erroneous edition. 
A mis-edition of the Vulgate, which perverts the sense, 
by making a wrong stop in the sentence. 
Up. Hall, Cases of Conscience, III. 10. 
miseducation (mis-ed-u-ka'shon), n. [< mix- 1 
+ education.] Wrong, hurtful, or imperfect 
education. 
But as for our miseducatiim ; make not bad worse. 
i 'iirtiil, , Sartor Resartus, p. 81. 
mise en scene (mez on san). [F. : misf, a put- 
ting, setting; en, in, on; sckne, stage: see wi'w 1 . 
in 1 , scene.] The setting of a drama on the stage. 
mise-moneyt (miz'mun'i), n. Money given by 
way of mise. 
misemploy (mis-em-ploi'), r. t. [< mix- 1 + cm- 
ploy.] To employ wrongly or uselessly ; make 
a bad, ineffective, or purposeless use of: as, to 
misemploy one's means or opportunities. 
He did so much as he could do no more, all which hath 
been misemployed and abused by themselves. 
Jer. Taylor, Works (ed. 1885), I. S69. 
misemployment (mis-em-ploi'ment). n. f< 
tixcmi>loi/ + -mint.] Ill or useless employ- 
ment; misapplication; misuse: us, the 
ployim-nt of time or money. 
miserable 
This year also be made proclamation to redrew the mA- 
entploi/maU ot lands or goodn glv.-n tu charitable turn. 
Halter, King James, an. IVU. 
misent, . An uii-ulote form oi 
misenite (mis'i-n-it), . (< Mixrnn (see def.) 
+ -i'/(-. ] Iii mini i ill., a nydroiis sulphate of 
putas.siuiii found in white Kilky fillers in a hot 
tufa cavem near Miseno, Italy. 
misenroll. misenrol (mis--n-n>i'), r. t. [< 
+ enroll.] To enter or enroll by mistake : 
roll erroneously. 
I should thec mifrnroule 
In booke of life. 
Danes, Muses Sacrifice, p. 64. (Dana.) 
misenter (min-en'ter), r. t. [< mis- 1 + enter 1 .] 
To enter erroneously or by mistake : as, to mis- 
cuter items in an account, 
misentreatt (mis-eu-tref), r. /. [< mis- 1 + en- 
trtnt.] To maltreat ; abuse ; treat badly. Hat- 
liinll. 
misentry (mis-cn'tri), n.; pi. mise*tris(-triz). 
[< mix- 1 + <n try.] An erroneous entry or 
charge, us in an account, 
misepiscopistt (mis-e-pis'ko-pigt), n. [< Gr. 
fuotlv, hate, + tmnxoToc, bishop, + -ist.] A 
hater of bishops or of prelacy. 
Those murpucoputt . . . envied and dcnyed that honour 
to this or any other Bishops. 
Bp. Oauden, Tears of the Church, p. 640. (Danes.) 
miser 1 (mi'zer), . and a. [Formerly also miser 
(and misard) ; < ME. "miser, meser, < OF. "miser 
= 8p. mlsero = Pg. It. misero, wretched, avari- 
cious, < L. iinxi r, wreti-lied, unfortunate, un- 
happy, miserable, sick, ill, bad, worthless, etc.; 
cf. Gr. /liooc,, hatred. Hence also E. miserable, 
misery, etc., commiserate, mesel, etc. For the 
sense 2, cf. miserable, a. ,5.] I. n. If. A mis- 
erable person ; one who is wretched or un- 
happy. 
Vouchsafe to stay your steed for humble misers sake. 
Spenser, f. Q., II. L 8. 
I wish that it may not prove some ominous foretoken 
of misfortune to have met with such a miser as I am. 
Sir P. Sidney, Arcadia, II. 
2. An extremely avaricious person ; one who 
hoards money ; a niggard ; one who in wealth 
conducts himself as one afflicted with poverty. 
Rich honesty dwells like a miser, sir, In a poor house. 
Shalt., As you Like It, v. 4. 63. 
Tis strange the miser should his cares employ 
To gain those riches he can ne'er enjoy. 
Pope, Moral Essays, iv. 1. 
Miser's gallon*, a very small measure, probably a gill. 
Her ordnance are gallons, pottles, quarts, pints, and the 
miters gallon. John Taylor, Works (1680). (fiartt.) 
II. . Characteristic of a miser. [Bare.] 
Still o'er these scenes my mem'ry wakes, 
And fondly broods with miser care ! 
Burns, To Mary In Heaven. 
miser 1 (mi'zer), p. t. [< miter 1 , .J To gather 
or keep like a miser; keep with jealous care; 
hoard : with up. 
miser 2 , mizer (mi'zer), . [Origin uncertain: 
said to be so called as used to ''miser up" or 
collect the earth through which it bores; < 
miser 1 , v. Otherwise thought to be connected 
with G. meisel, a chisel.] An iron cylinder with 
an opening in the side and a cutting lip, at- 
tached to the lower end of a boring-rod, used in 
the process of sinking wells in water-bearing 
Strata. The bottom Is conical, with a valved opening 
through which the earth can pass upward. In the so- 
called " pot-miser," used in pebbly clay, there Is no valve, 
but tin' soil is forced upward by a worm on the outside of 
the pot, which is conical in form, and over whose edge it 
falls as the Instrument works Its way downward. 
miser 2 (mi'zer), P. t. [Also mizer; < miser*, n.] 
To collect in the interior of the boring-tool 
called a miser: used with up. 
miserable (miz'e-ra-bl), a. and n. [< OF. mi- 
serable, F. miserable = Sp. miserable = Pg. wi- 
seravel = It. miserabile, < L. misrrabilis, pitiable. 
< miserari, pity, < misrr, wretched : see miser 1 . J 
1. n. 1. Unhappy; wretched; hapless. 
He should fear more the hurt that may be done him by 
a poor widow, or a miserable man, Ulan by the greatest 
gentleman of them all. 
Lalimer. 4th Sermon bef. Edw. VI, 1640. 
What's more miserable than discontent? 
Shot., 2 Hen. VI., lit. 1. 201. 
Fallen cherub, to be weak is miserable, 
Doing or suffering. MMon, P. L., i. 157. 
2. Causing or attended by suffering or nnhap- 
piness; distressing; doleful: as, a miserable lot 
or condition; miserable weather. 
O gross and miserable ignorance. 
Shot., 2 Hen. VI., Iv. 2. 178. 
Keing even as taking leare of this minrraHr world. Uod 
did direct him to the great way or Castragan. 
Cajit. John Smith True Travels, I. 41. 
