mistrial 
(6) More loosely, an inconclusive trial ; a trial 
that fails to issue in a decision, as where the 
jury cannot agree. 
If there had heen ^mistrial, the colored jurymen voting 
to acquit and the white jurymen to convict, etc. 
Philadelphia Press, July 1, 1889. 
mist-rick (mist'rik), n. [< mist + "rick (?) 
for reek, vapor.] A dense mist. [Australia.] 
The dawn at "Morrabinda" was a mist-rick dull and 
dense, the sunrise was a sullen, sluggish lamp. 
Contemporary Rev., III. 405. 
lllistristt , w . and v. An obsolete f orin of mistrust. 
mistrowt, v. [X ME. mistrowen, < AS. *mistreo- 
wian, mistrivian (= OHG. missatruen, MHG. 
missetrouen, Gr. misstrauen = Icel. mistrua), mis- 
trow, mistrust; < mis- 1 + tredutian, tre6wan, 
trow: see mis- 1 and trow.'] I. intrans. To dis- 
trust; doubt. 
And in thaire hertes that bigan 
To be mis-trowand ilka man 
To God thai groched al bidene. 
Holy Rood (E. E. T. S.), p. 74. 
ge no more so mistrowand, 
But trowe trewly. 
York Plays, p. 454. 
But our Lady was evyr stedfast in the feit, 
And mystrowid not of his resureccion. 
MS. Laud. 415, f. 42. (Halliwell.) 
II. trans. To doubt ; mistrust. 
" Yef this be so," quod the luge, "neuer shall I mys- 
trowe the." Merlin (E. E. T. S.), i. 21. 
mistrowt, n. [< ME. mistrowe; < mistrow, v.] 
Mistrust. William of Palerne (E. E. T. S.), 
1. 33] 4. 
mistrowingt, [< ME. mistromynge; verbal 
n. of mistrow, i>.] Distrust ; suspicion. 
For espyall and mistrowynges, 
Thei did than such thynges 
That every man might other know. 
Qower, Conf. A i mint., vi. 
mistrust (mis-trust'), . [< ME. mistrost, mis- 
triste (= MD. mistroost = OHG. missetrost); < 
mis- 1 + trust.'] Lack of trust or confidence; 
suspicion. 
Your mistrust cannot make me a traitor. 
Shak., As you Like it, i. 3. 58. 
On mistrust that the Nations beyond Bodotria would 
generally rise, and forelay the passages by land, he caused 
his Fleet, makeing a great shew, to bear along the Coast. 
Milton, Hist. Eng., ii. 
mistrust (mis-trust'), v. t. [< ME. *mistrusten, 
mistrysten, mistristen ; < mis- 1 + trust, .] 1. To 
suspect ; doubt ; regard with suspicion or jeal- 
ousy. 
For though a man be falle in jalous rage, 
Let maken with this water his potage, 
And never shal he more his wit mistriste. 
Chaucer, Prol. to Pardoner's Tale, 1. 88. 
Mystruste not thy frende for none accusement. 
Babees Book (E. E. T. S.), p. 332. 
I will never mistrust my wife again. 
S/iak., M. W. of W., v. 5. 141. 
I am ever ready to mistrust a promising title. 
Goldsmith, The Bee, No. 4. 
2. To suspect; apprehend: said of a fact or 
circumstance. 
This is an accident of hourly proof, 
Which I mistrusted not. 
Shak., Much Ado, ii. 1. 189. 
mistruster (mis-trus'ter), n. One who mis- 
trusts. Milton. 
You inndelles and mistrusters of God. 
Barnes, Works, p. 354. 
mistrustful (mis-trust'ful), a. [< mistrust, n., 
+ -ful.] Having mistrust ; wanting trust or 
confidence; suspicious; doubting: as, a mis- 
trustful spirit. 
In ordinary conferences easie and apert, in conuersation 
simple, in capitulation subtill and mistrustfull. 
Puttenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 245. 
I hold it cowardice 
To rest mistrustful where a noble heart 
Hath pawn'd an open hand in sign of love. 
Shak., 3 Hen. VI., iv. 2. 8. 
mistrustfully (mis-trust'ful-i), adv. In a mis- 
trustful manner; with misgiving, suspicion, or 
doubt. 
mistrustfulness (mis-trust'ful-nes), . The 
state or quality of being mistrustful; suspicion ; 
doubt. 
mistrustless (mis-trust'les), a. [< mistrust, n., 
+ -less.'] Unsuspecting; unsuspicious. 
The swain, mistrustless of his smutted face, 
While secret laughter titter'd round the place. 
Goldsmith, Des. Vil., 1. 27. 
mistryst 1 , v. t. An obsolete variant of mistrust. 
mistryst 2 (mis-trisf), v. t. [< mis- 1 + tryst. 
Of. mistrust."] To disappoint by failing to keep 
an engagement ; bring into trouble or confusion 
by disappointing; deceive; use ill. [Scotch.] 
3802 
They are sair mistrysted yonder in their Parliament 
House. Scott, Rob Roy, xiv. 
mist-tree (mist'tre), n. See Litsea and Bhus. 
mistune (mis-tun'), v. t.\ pret. and pp. mistimed, 
ppr. mistuxing. [< mis- 1 + tune,v.] 1. To tune 
incorrectly. 
My instrument mystunyd shall hurt a trew song. 
Skelton, A Claricorde. 
Oft from the body, by long ails mtetuned, 
These evils sprung. 
Armstrong, Art of Preserving Health. 
2. To sing out of tune. 
While hymn mistuned and muttered prayer 
The victim for his fate prepare. 
Scott, Lord of the Isles, v. 28. 
misturnt (mis-tern'), v. [< ME. misturnen, mis- 
tournen, mistornen; < mis- 1 + turn, v."] I. trans. 
To turn aside wrongly; pervert. 
Naturel entencyon ledith yow to thilke verray good, but 
many manere errours mistometh yow therefro. 
Chaucer, Boethius, iii. prose 3. 
II. intrans. To go wrong. 
And whan this littel worlde mistourneth, 
The great worlde all overtorneth. 
Qower, Conf. Amant., Prol. 
mistus, mixtus (mis'-, miks'tus), . [< L. mis- 
tus, mixtus, a mixing, mingling, < miscere, pp. 
mistus, mixtus, mix : see mix 1 .'] In bot., a cross- 
breed. Gray. See cross 1 , 11. 
mistutor (mis-tu'tor), v. t. [< mis- 1 + tutor, v.] 
To instruct amiss. 
Gay mistutored youths, who ne'er the charm 
Of Virtue hear, nor wait at Wisdom's door. 
T. Edwards, Sonnets, xxviii., To G. Onslow. 
misty (mis'ti), a. [< ME. misty, mysty, < AS. 
mistig, misty, dark (= MD. mistigh = MLG. 
mistich, foggy), < mist, darkness: see mist 1 , n.] 
1. Accompanied or characterized by mist; 
overspread with mist: as, misty weather; a 
misty atmosphere ; a misty day. 
For I have seyn of a f ul mysty morwe 
Folwen ful oft a merye someres day. 
Chaucer, Troilus, iii. 1060. 
Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day 
Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops. 
Shak., R. and J., iii. 5. 10. 
2. Dim, obscure, or clouded, as if by mist; 
hence, confused; not perspicuous: as, misty 
sight; a misty writer or treatise; a misty ex- 
planation. 
Blind were those eyes, saw not how bright did shine 
Through flesh's misty veil those beams divine. 
Donne, On Mrs. Boulstred. 
To be misty is not to be mystic. 
Lowell, Study Windows, p. 201. 
misunderstand (mis-un-der-stand'). v. t.; pret. 
and pp. misunderstood, ppr. misunderstanding. 
[< mis- 1 + understand.] 1. To understand 
amiss; attach a false meaning to; take in a 
wrong sense ; misconceive ; interpret or ex- 
plain to one's self erroneously. 
What ! will some men say, shall a man be ruined eter- 
nally for a misunderstood place of Scripture ? 
Bp. Atterbury, Sermons, II. xi. 
This, if it be neglected, will make the reader very much 
mistake and misunderstand his meaning. Locke. 
Rude America, with her . . . misunderstood yearning 
for a rightful share of the culture and beauty of the older 
world. Stedman, Viet. Poets, p. 389. 
2. To fail to understand (a person with refer- 
ence to his words or actions) : as, I misunder- 
stood you. = gyn. To misapprehend, 
misimderstandert (mis-un-der-stan'der), n. 
One who misunderstands. 
But diuers and many texts . . . semed unto the miss- 
vnderstanders to speake against purgatory. 
Sir T. More, Works, p. 324. 
misunderstanding (mis-un-der-stan'ding), n. 
[Verbal n. of misunderstand, v.] 1. Mistake as 
to the meaning of something; misconception; 
erroneous interpretation. 
Sometimes the misunderstanding of a word has scattered 
and destroyed those who have been in possession of vic- 
tory. South, Sermons, I. viii. 
You see how clearly I have endeavoured to explicate this 
harmlesse position ; yet I perceive some tough misunder- 
standings will not be satisfied. 
Bp. Hall, To the Lord Bishop of Salisbury. 
2. A disagreement ; difference ; dissension ; 
quarrel. 
Servants mistake, and sometimes occasion misunder- 
standings among friends. Swift. 
misusage (mis-u'zaj), . [< OF. mestisage (F. 
mesusage), misusage, < mesuser, misuse : see 
misuse. 1).~\ 111 usage ; bad treatment ; abuse. 
The fame of their misusage so prevented them that the 
people of that place also, offended thereby, would bring 
in no wares. Hakluyt's Voyages, II. 21. 
misween 
misusancet, [< OF. mesusance, misusage, < 
mesuser, misuse: see misuse, v., and cf. usance.] 
Ill treatment ; misuse. 
He had chafed at their misusance. 
Up. Uacket, Abp. Williams, i. 202. (Dames.) 
misuse (mis-uz'), v. t.; pret. and pp. misused, 
ppr. misusing. [< ME. misusen, miseusen, < OF. 
mesuser, mesuzer (F. me'suser), < mes- + -user, 
use: see mis-? and use, v.] 1. To treat or use 
improperly ; apply to an improper purpose ; 
make a false or improper use of. 
Me thinketh these wordes thou mismest. 
Gou'er, Gout. Amant., v. 
Bacchus, that first from out the purple grape 
Crush'd the sweet poison of misused wine. 
Milton, Comus, 1. 47. 
2. To use or treat badly ; abuse or maltreat in 
act or speech. 
Hang him, dishonest varlet ! we cannot misuse him 
enough. Shak., M. W. of W., iv. 2. 105. 
He that did wear this head was one 
That pilgrims did misuse. 
Bunyan, Pilgrim's Progress, ii. 
= Syn. Abuse, Misuse. See abuse. 
misuse (mis-us'), n. [< ME. misuse, < OF. mcsus, 
mesuis, mesuz, ill use, < mes- + u$, use : see mis- 2 
and use, n.] 1. Improper use; misapplication; 
employment in a wrong way or to a bad pur- 
pose ; perversion. 
How names taken for things mislead the understanding, 
the attentive reading of philosophical writers would dis- 
cover, and that in words little suspected of any such mis- 
use. Locke. 
After the misuse of the one talent. 
Bp. Hall, Cont., Veil of Moses. 
2. Abuse ; ill treatment. 
Upon whose dead corpse there was such misuse . . . 
By those Welshwomen done, as may not be, 
Without much shame, retold or spoken of. 
Shak., 1 Hen. IV., i. 1. 43. 
= Syn. 1. Perversion, profanation, prostitution. See 
abuse, v. t 
misusementt (mis-uz'ment), n. [< OF. mes- 
usemenl, < mesuser, misuse: see misuse, v., and 
-ment.] The act of misusing ; misuse; abuse. 
And Darius coulde not bee otherwise persuaded but that 
shee was slayn because she would not consent to her mis- 
usement. J. Brende, tr. of Quintus Curtius, fol. 82. 
misuser (mis-u'zer), n. [< misuse, v., + -er 1 .'] 
1. One who misuses ; one who uses incorrect- 
ly. 2. In law, abuse of any liberty or benefit 
such as may cause its forfeiture. 
An office, either public or private, may be forfeited by 
. . . mis-user or abuse, as if a judge takes a bribe, or a 
park-keeper kills deer without authority. 
Blackstone, Com., II. x. 
misvalue (mis-val'u), v. t.\ pret. and pp. mis- 
valued, ppr. misvaluing. [< mis- 1 + value, v."] 
To value falsely or too little ; misesteem ; un- 
derrate. 
I am so yong, I dread my warke 
Wot be miscaltted both of old and yong. 
W. Browne, Young Willie and Old Wernock. 
misventure (mis-ven'tur), n. [< mis- 1 + ven- 
ture. Cf. misadventure.'] An unfortunate ven- 
ture ; a misadventure. 
All friends were touched with a kind of ... joy to see, 
as I said, the color of Jack's money, after so many misven- 
tures and foiled struggles. Carlyle, in Froude. 
misventUTOUS (mis-ven'tur-us), a. [< mis- 1 + 
venturous.'] Wanting boldness or daring; tim- 
orous; fearful. 
Misventurous Irishwomen, giving up their plan of emi- 
gration. Carlyle, The Century, XXIV. 20. 
niisvoucht (mis-vouch'), v. t. [< mis- 1 + vouch."] 
To vouch or allege falsely. 
That very text or saying ... is miseouched. 
Bacon, True Greatness of Britain. 
miswander (mis-won'der), v. i. [ME. miswan- 
deren; < mis- 1 + wander.] To wander; stray. 
The miswandrynge errour misledeth hem into false 
goodes. Chaucer, Boethius, iii. prose 2. 
miswayt (mis-wa'), n. [ME. miswaie ; < mis- 1 
+ way.'] A wrong path. 
Whoso that sekith soth by a deep thoght and coveyteth 
nat to ben deseyvyd by no mys weyes, lat him rollen and 
trenden withiune hymself the lyht of his inward syhte. 
Chaucer, Boethius, iii. meter 11. 
miswayt, adv. [ME. mysuey ; adverbial use of 
misu;ay,n.] Wrong; wrongly; amiss; astray. 
Love makith aile to goon mysicey. 
Rom.' of the Rose, 1. 4766. 
misweart (mis-war'), v. i. [< jMis-1 + wear 1 ."] 
To wear ill ; prove bad on wearing. See quo- 
tation under misworlc, v. t. 
miswedt (mis-wed'), v . t. [< mis- 1 + wed.] To 
wed unsuitably. Milton. 
misweent (mis-wen'), v. i. and t. [< mis- 1 + 
ween.] To misjudge; distrust. 
