mischieve

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Middle English myscheven, from Old French meschever, from mes- + chever.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /mɪsˈtʃiːv/

Verb

mischieve (third-person singular simple present mischieves, present participle mischieving, simple past and past participle mischieved)

  1. (obsolete) To destroy.
  2. (now Scotland) To damage, do harm to; to injure.
    • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “xj”, in Le Morte Darthur, book IX:
      thenne sire Tristram wold make no lenger delayes but lasshed at sir Lamorak / & thus they foughte longe / [] / Thenne sir Tristram seid to sir Lamorak in alle my lyf mette I neuer with suche a knyght that was soo bygge and well brethed as ye be / therfore said syre Tristram hit were pyte / that ony of vs both shold here be meschyeued
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    • 1650, Moses his choice, with his eye fixed upon heaven, page 54:
      I have read of Augustine, that once by wandring out of his way, he escaped one who lay in wait to mischieve him;
    • 1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, [], London: [] W[illiam] Taylor [], →OCLC, page 191:
      [] ſo when the two Ladders were taken down, no Man living could come down to me without miſchieving himſelf; []