Chapter 987

Miss (?) , n. ; pl. Misses (#) . [Contr. fr. mistress .] 1. A title of courtesy prefixed to the name of a girl or a woman who has not been married. See Mistress , 5.

&hand; There is diversity of usage in the application of this title to two or more persons of the same name. We may write either the Miss Browns or the Misses Brown .

2. A young unmarried woman or a girl; as, she is a miss of sixteen .

Gay vanity, with smiles and kisses, Was busy 'mongst the maids and misses. Cawthorn.

3. A kept mistress. See Mistress , 4. [Obs.]

Evelyn.

4. (Card Playing) In the game of three-card loo, an extra hand, dealt on the table, which may be substituted for the hand dealt to a player.

Miss <Xpage=931>

Miss , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Missed (?) ; p . pr . & vb . n . Missing .] [AS. missan ; akin to D. & G. missen , OHG. missan , Icel. missa , Sw. mista , Dan. miste . \'fb100. See Mis- , pref.] 1. To fail of hitting, reaching, getting, finding, seeing, hearing, etc.; as, to miss the mark one shoots at; to miss the train by being late; to miss opportunites of getting knowledge; to miss the point or meaning of something said.

When a man misses his great end, happiness, he will acknowledge he judged not right. Locke.

2. To omit; to fail to have or to do; to get without; to dispense with; -- now seldom applied to persons.

She would never miss , one day, A walk so fine, a sight so gay. Prior.

We cannot miss him; he does make our fire, Fetch in our wood. Shak.

3. To discover the absence or omission of; to feel the want of; to mourn the loss of; to want.

Shak.

Neither missed we anything ... Nothing was missed of all that pertained unto him. 1 Sam. xxv. 15, 21.

What by me thou hast lost, thou least shalt miss . Milton.

To miss stays . (Naut.) See under Stay .

Miss <Xpage=931>

Miss (?) , v. i. 1. To fail to hit; to fly wide; to deviate from the true direction.

Men observe when things hit, and not when they miss . Bacon.

Flying bullets now, To execute his rage, appear too slow; They miss , or sweep but common souls away. Waller.

2. To fail to obtain, learn, or find; -- with of .

Upon the least reflection, we can not miss of them. Atterbury.

3. To go wrong; to err. [Obs.]

Amongst the angels, a whole legion Of wicked sprites did fall from happy bliss; What wonder then if one, of women all, did miss ? Spenser.

4. To be absent, deficient, or wanting. [Obs.] See Missing , a.

What here shall miss , our toil shall strive to mend. Shak.

Miss <Xpage=931>

Miss , n. 1. The act of missing; failure to hit, reach, find, obtain, etc.

2. Loss; want; felt absence. [Obs.]

There will be no great miss of those which are lost. Locke.

3. Mistake; error; fault.

Shak.

He did without any great miss in the hardest points of grammar. Ascham.

4. Harm from mistake. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Missa <Xpage=931>

Mis"sa (?) , n. ; pl. Miss\'91 (#) . [LL. See 1st Mass .] (R.C.Ch.) The service or sacrifice of the Mass.

Missal <Xpage=931>

Mis"sal (?) , n. [LL. missale , liber missalis , from missa mass: cf. F. missel . See 1st Mass .] The book containing the service of the Mass for the entire year; a Mass book.

Missal <Xpage=931>

Mis"sal , a. Of or pertaining to the Mass, or to a missal or Mass book.

Bp. Hall.

Missay <Xpage=931>

Mis*say" (?) , v. t. 1. To say wrongly.

2. To speak evil of; to slander. [Obs.]

Missay <Xpage=931>

Mis*say" , v. i. To speak ill. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Misseek <Xpage=931>

Mis*seek" (?) , v. t. To seek for wrongly. [Obs.]

Misseem <Xpage=931>

Mis*seem" (?) , v. i. 1. To make a false appearance. [Obs.]

2. To misbecome; to be misbecoming. [Obs.]

Spenser.

Missel <Xpage=931>

Mis"sel (?) , n. Mistletoe. [Obs.]

Missel bird , Missel thrush (Zo\'94l.) , a large European thrush ( Turdus viscivorus ) which feeds on the berries of the mistletoe; -- called also mistletoe thrush and missel .

Misseldine <Xpage=931>

Mis"sel*dine (?) , n. [See Mistletoe .] [Written also misselden .] The mistletoe. [Obs.]

Baret.

Misseltoe <Xpage=931>

Mis"sel*toe (?) , n. See Mistletoe .

Missemblance <Xpage=931>

Mis*sem"blance (?) , n. False resemblance or semblance. [Obs.]

Missend <Xpage=931>

Mis*send" (?) , v. t. To send amiss or incorrectly.

Misserve <Xpage=931>

Mis*serve" (?) , v. t. & i. To serve unfaithfully.

Misset <Xpage=931>

Mis*set" (?) , v. t. To set pr place wrongly.

Misshape <Xpage=931>

Mis*shape" (?) , v. t. To shape ill; to give an ill or unnatural from to; to deform. "Figures monstrous and misshaped ."

Pope.

Misshapen <Xpage=931>

Mis*shap"en (?) , a. Having a bad or ugly form. "The mountains are misshapen ."

Bentley.

-- Mis*shap"en*ly , adv. -- Mis*shap"en*ness , n.

Missheathed <Xpage=931>

Mis*sheathed" (?) , a. Sheathed by mistake; wrongly sheathed; sheathed in a wrong place.

Shak.

Missificate <Xpage=931>

Mis*sif"i*cate (?) , v. i. [LL. missa Mass + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See fy- .] To perform Mass. [Obs.]

Milton.

Missile <Xpage=931>

Mis"sile (?) , a. [L. missils , fr. mittere , missum , to cause to go, to send, to throw; cf. Lith. mesti to throw: cf. F. missile . Cf. Admit , Dismiss , Mass the religious service, Message , Mission .] Capable of being thrown; adapted for hurling or to be projected from the hand, or from any instrument or rngine, so as to strike an object at a distance.

We bend the bow, or wing the missile dart. Pope.

Missile <Xpage=931>

Mis"sile , n. [L. missile .] A weapon thrown or projected or intended to be projcted, as a lance, an arrow, or a bullet.

Missing <Xpage=931>

Miss"ing (?) , a. [From Miss , v. i. ] Absent from the place where it was expected to be found; lost; wanting; not present when called or looked for.

Neither was there aught missing unto them. 1 Sam. xxv. 7.

For a time caught up to God, as once Moses was in the mount, and missing long. Milton.

Missingly <Xpage=931>

Miss"ing*ly , adv. With a sense of loss. [Obs.]

Shak.

Mission <Xpage=931>

Mis"sion (?) , n. [L. missio , fr. mittere , missum , to send: cf. F. mission . See Missile .] 1. The act of sending, or the state of being sent; a being sent or delegated by authority, with certain powers for transacting business; comission.

Whose glorious deeds, but in these fields of late, Made emulous missions ' mongst the gods themselves. Shak.

2. That with which a messenger or agent is charged; an errand; business or duty on which one is sent; a commission.

How to begin, how to accomplish best His end of being on earth, and mission high. Milton.

3. Persons sent; any number of persons appointed to perform any service; a delegation; an embassy.

In these ships there should be a mission of three of the fellows or brethren of Solomon's house. Bacon.

4. An assotiation or organization of missionaries; a station or residence of missionaries.

5. An organization for worship and work, dependent on one or more churches.

6. A course of extraordinary sermons and services at a particular place and time for the special purpose of quickening the faith and zeal participants, and of converting unbelievers.

Addis & Arnold.

7. Dismission; discharge from service. [Obs.]

Mission school . (a) A school connected with a mission and conducted by missionaries . (b) A school for the religious instruction of children not having regular church privileges.

Syn. -- Message; errand; commission; deputation.

Mission <Xpage=931>

Mis"sion (?) , v. t. To send on a mission. [Mostly used in the form of the past participle.]

Keats.

Missionary <Xpage=931>

Mis"sion*ary (?) , n. ; pl. Missionaries (#) . [Cf. F. missionnaire . See Mission , n .] One who is sent on a mission; especially, one sent to propagate religion.

Swift.

Missionary apostolic , a Roman Catholic missionary sent by commission from the pope.

Missionary <Xpage=931>

Mis"sion*a*ry , a. Of or pertaining to missions; as, a missionary meeting; a missionary fund.

Missioner <Xpage=931>

Mis"sion*er (?) , n. A missionary; an envoy; one who conducts a mission. See Mission , n. , 6. "Like mighty missioner you come."

Dryden.

Missis <Xpage=931>

Mis"sis (?) , n. A mistress; a wife; -- so used by the illiterate.

G. Eliot.

Missish <Xpage=931>

Miss"ish , a. Like a miss; prim; affected; sentimental.

-- Miss"ish*ness , n.

Missit <Xpage=931>

Mis*sit" (?) , v. t. To sit badly or imperfectly upon; to misbecome. [Obs.]

Chaucer.

Missive <Xpage=931>

Mis"sive (?) , a. [See Missive , n. ] 1. Specially sent; intended or prepared to be sent; as, a letter missive .

Ayliffe.

2. Missile. "The missive weapons fly."

Dryden.

Letters missive , letters conveying the permission, comand, or advice of a superior authority, as a sovereign. They are addressed and sent to some certain person or persons, and are distinguished from letters patent , which are addressed to the public.

Missive <Xpage=931>

Mis"sive , n. [F. lettre missive . See Mission , n. ] 1. That which is sent; a writing containing a message.

2. One who is sent; a messenger. [Obs.]

Shak.

Missound <Xpage=931>

Mis*sound" (?) , v. t. To sound wrongly; to utter or pronounce incorrectly.

E,Hall.

Misspeak <Xpage=931>

Mis*speak" (?) , v. i. To err in speaking.

Misspeak <Xpage=931>

Mis*speak" , v. t. To utter wrongly.

Misspeech <Xpage=931>

Mis*speech" (?) , n. Wrong speech. [Obs.]

Misspell <Xpage=931>

Mis*spell" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Misspelled (?) , or Misspelt (<?/) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Misspelling .] To spell incorrectly.

Misspelling <Xpage=931>

Mis*spell"ing , n. A wrong spelling.

Misspend <Xpage=931>

Mis*spend" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Misspent (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Misspending .] To spend amiss or for wrong purposes; to aquander; to waste; as, to misspend time or money .

J. Philips.

Misspender <Xpage=931>

Mis*spend"er (?) , n. One who misspends.

misspense <Xpage=931>

mis*spense" (?) , n. A spending improperly; a wasting. [Obs.]

Barrow.

Misspent <Xpage=931>

Mis*spent" (?) , imp. & p. p. of Misspend .

Misstate <Xpage=931>

Mis*state" (?) , v. t. To state wrongly; as, to misstate a question in debate .

Bp. Sanderson.

Misstatement <Xpage=931>

Mis*state"ment (?) , n. An incorrect statement.

Misstayed <Xpage=931>

Mis*stayed" (?) , a. (Naut.) Having missed stays; -- said of a ship.

Misstep <Xpage=931>

Mis*step" , n. A wrong step; an error of conduct.

Misstep <Xpage=931>

Mis*step" , v. i. To take a wrong step; to go astray.

Missuccess <Xpage=931>

Mis`suc*cess" (?) , n. Failure. [Obs.]

Missuggestion <Xpage=931>

Mis`sug*ges"tion (? &or; ?) , n. Wrong or evil suggestion. [Obs.]

Bp. Hall.

Missummation <Xpage=931>

Mis`sum*ma"tion , n. Wrong summation.

Misswear <Xpage=931>

Mis*swear" (?) , v. i. To swear falsely.

Missy <Xpage=931>

Mis"sy (?) , n. (Min.) See Misy .

Missy <Xpage=931>

Mis"sy , n. An affectionate, or contemptuous, form of miss ; a young girl; a miss. -- a. Like a miss, or girl.

Mist <Xpage=931>

Mist (?) , n. [AS. mist ; akin to D. & Sw. mist , Icel. mistr , G. mist dung, Goth. ma\'a1hstus , AS. m\'c6gan to make water, Icel. m\'c6ga , Lith. migla mist, Russ. mgla , L. mingere , meiere , to make water, gr. <?/ to make water, <?/ mist, Skr. mih to make water, n., a mist m\'b5gha cloud. \'fb102. Cf. Misle , Mizzle , Mixen .] 1. Visible watery vapor suspended in the atmosphere, at or near the surface of the earth; fog.

2. Coarse, watery vapor, floating or falling in visible particles, approaching the form of rain; as, Scotch mist .

3. Hence, anything which dims or darkens, and obscures or intercepts vision.

His passion cast a mist before his sense. Dryden.

Mist flower (Bot.) , a composite plant ( Eupatorium c\'d2lestinum ), having heart-shaped leaves, and corymbs of lavender-blue flowers. It is found in the Western and Southern United States.

Mist <Xpage=931>

Mist , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Misted ; p. pr. & vb. n. Misting .] To cloud; to cover with mist; to dim.

Shak.

Mist <Xpage=931>

Mist , v. i. To rain in very fine drops; as, it mists .

Mistakable <Xpage=931>

Mis*tak"a*ble (?) , a. Liable to be mistaken; capable of being misconceived.

Sir T. Browne.

Mistake <Xpage=931>

Mis*take" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & obs. p. p. Mistook (?) ; p. p. Mistaken (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Mistaking .] [Pref. mis- + take : cf. Icel. mistaka .] 1. To take or choose wrongly. [Obs. or R.]

Shak.

2. To take in a wrong sense; to misunderstand misapprehend, or misconceive; as, to mistake a remark; to mistake one's meaning.

Locke.

My father's purposes have been mistook . Shak.

3. To substitute in thought or perception; as, to mistake one person for another .

A man may mistake the love of virtue for the practice of it. Johnson.

4. To have a wrong idea of in respect of character, qualities, etc.; to misjudge.

Mistake me not so much, To think my poverty is treacherous. Shak.

Mistake <Xpage=931>

Mis*take" , v. i. To err in knowledge, perception, opinion, or judgment; to commit an unintentional error.

Servants mistake , and sometimes occasion misunderstanding among friends. Swift.

<page="932"> Page 932

Mistake <Xpage=932>

Mis*take" (?) , n. 1. An apprehending wrongly; a misconception; a misunderstanding; a fault in opinion or judgment; an unintentional error of conduct.

Infallibility is an absolute security of the understanding from all possibility of mistake . Tillotson.

2. (Law) Misconception, error, which when non-negligent may be ground for rescinding a contract, or for refusing to perform it.

No mistake , surely; without fail; as, it will happen at the appointed time, and no mistake . [Low]

Syn. -- Blunder; error; bull. See Blunder .

Mistaken <Xpage=932>

Mis*tak"en (?) , p.a. 1. Being in error; judging wrongly; having a wrong opinion or a misconception; as, a mistaken man; he is mistaken .

2. Erroneous; wrong; as, a mistaken notion .

Mistakenly <Xpage=932>

Mis*tak"en*ly , adv. By mistake.

Goldsmith.

Mistakenness <Xpage=932>

Mis*tak"en*ness , n. Erroneousness.

Mistaker <Xpage=932>

Mis*tak"er (?) , n. One who mistakes.

Well meaning ignorance of some mistakers . Bp. Hall.

Mistaking <Xpage=932>

Mis*tak"ing , n. An error; a mistake.

Shak.

Mistakingly <Xpage=932>

Mis*tak"ing*ly , adv. Erroneously.

Mistaught <Xpage=932>

Mis*taught" (?) , a. [See Misteach .] Wrongly taught; as, a mistaught youth .

L'Estrange.

Misteach <Xpage=932>

Mis*teach" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Mistaught (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Misteaching .] [AS. mist<?/can .] To teach wrongly; to instruct erroneously.

Mistell <Xpage=932>

Mis*tell" (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Mistold (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Mistelling .] To tell erroneously.

Mistemper <Xpage=932>

Mis*tem"per (?) , v. t. To temper ill; to disorder; as, to mistemper one's head .

Warner.

This inundation of mistempered humor. Shak.

Mister <Xpage=932>

Mis"ter (?) , n. [See Master , and cf. Mistress .] A title of courtesy prefixed to the name of a man or youth. It is usually written in the abbreviated form Mr .

To call your name, inquire your where, Or whet you think of Mister Some-one's book, Or Mister Other's marriage or decease. Mrs. Browning.

Mister <Xpage=932>

Mis"ter , v. t. To address or mention by the title Mr.; as, he mistered me in a formal way . [Colloq.]

Mister <Xpage=932>

Mis"ter , n. [OF. mistier trade, office, ministry, need, F. m\'82tier trade, fr. L. ministerium service, office, ministry. See Ministry , Mystery trade.] [Written also mester .] 1. A trade, art, or occupation. [Obs.]

In youth he learned had a good mester . Chaucer.

2. Manner; kind; sort. [Obs.]

Spenser.

But telleth me what mester men ye be. Chaucer.

3. Need; necessity. [Obs.]

Rom. of R.