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mischiefmore about mischief

mischief

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Mischief  \Mis"chief\,  n.  [OE.  meschef  bad  result,  OF  meschief; 
  pref.  mes-  (L.  minus  less)  +  chief  end  head,  F.  chef  chief. 
  See  {Minus},  and  {Chief}.] 
  1.  Harm;  damage;  esp.,  disarrangement  of  order  trouble  or 
  vexation  caused  by  human  agency  or  by  some  living  being 
  intentionally  or  not  often  calamity,  mishap;  trivial 
  evil  caused  by  thoughtlessness,  or  in  sport.  --Chaucer. 
 
  Thy  tongue  deviseth  mischiefs.  --Ps.  lii.  2. 
 
  The  practice  whereof  shall,  I  hope,  secure  me  from 
  many  mischiefs.  --Fuller. 
 
  2.  Cause  of  trouble  or  vexation;  trouble.  --Milton. 
 
  The  mischief  was  these  allies  would  never  allow 
  that  the  common  enemy  was  subdued.  --Swift. 
 
  {To  be  in  mischief},  to  be  doing  harm  or  causing  annoyance. 
 
 
  {To  make  mischief},  to  do  mischief,  especially  by  exciting 
  quarrels. 
 
  {To  play  the  mischief},  to  cause  great  harm;  to  throw  into 
  confusion.  [Colloq.] 
 
  Syn:  Damage;  harm;  hurt;  injury;  detriment;  evil;  ill. 
 
  Usage:  {Mischief},  {Damage},  {Harm}.  Damage  is  an  injury 
  which  diminishes  the  value  of  a  thing  harm  is  an 
  injury  which  causes  trouble  or  inconvenience;  mischief 
  is  an  injury  which  disturbs  the  order  and  consistency 
  of  things  We  often  suffer  damage  or  harm  from 
  accident,  but  mischief  always  springs  from  perversity 
  or  folly. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Mischief  \Mis"chief\,  v.  t. 
  To  do  harm  to  [Obs.]  --Milton. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  mischief 
  n  1:  reckless  or  malicious  behavior  that  causes  discomfort  or 
  annoyance  in  others  [syn:  {mischief-making},  {mischievousness}, 
  {deviltry},  {devilry},  {devilment},  {rascality},  {roguery}, 
  {roguishness},  {shenanigan}] 
  2:  the  quality  or  nature  of  being  harmful  or  evil  [syn:  {maleficence}, 
  {balefulness}]  [ant:  {beneficence}]




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