MISCHIEF • FREE-TRANSLATOR.COM • Definition of Mischief

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/mˈɪstʃəf/ Listen

noun

Mischief n.

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. "Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs." "The practice whereof shall, I hope, secure me from many mischiefs."

2.

Cause of trouble or vexation; trouble. "The mischief was, these allies would never allow that the common enemy was subdued."

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.)

Synonyms: Damage; harm; hurt; injury; detriment; evil; ill. 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.

verb

Mischief v. t. To do harm to. (Obs.)

See images of 'Mischief'

Etymology of 'Mischief'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Mischief" Quotes from Famous Books

... will say, how the mischief is it that Tartarin of Tarascon never left Tarascon, with all this mania for adventure, need of powerful sensations, and folly about travel, rides, and journeys from the Pole ...

— Library of the World's Best Literature, Ancient and Modern -- Volume 11 • Various

... disposed to admit Rollo's authority to set him right by violence. He resisted; and, in the struggle, the table was pushed away, and the water in the saucer spilled over. The water ran along under the sheet of paper. Nathan, seeing the mischief that had been done, was a little frightened, and released his hold. Rollo then took up the paper, which had sand upon the upper side, and water dripping off from the under ...

— Rollo's Experiments • Jacob Abbott

... this Mischief, I must stay here to be entertain'd with your Catterwauling, Mrs. Puss!—Out of my Sight, wanton Strumpet! you shall fast and mortify yourself into Reason, with now and then a little handsom Discipline to bring you to ...

— The Beggar's Opera • John Gay

... more sense and not talk so much, and not say what I think about people, and not hate my ugly clothes so, and despise the smell of onions and cabbage and soap-suds, I might get more answers, but you can't get answers just by praying. You've got to work like the mischief, and be a regular policeman over yourself and nab the bad things the minute they poke their heads out. If I'd prayed differently yesterday I wouldn't have been looking for—for somebody all to-day, and be a jumping-jack to-night for ...

— How It Happened • Kate Langley Bosher

... and among the rocks and sandhills of the desert. Shooting stars are still believed by the people of the East to be arrows shot by the angels against the genii, who transgress these limits and approach too near the forbidden regions of bliss. Many of the genii delight in mischief; they surprise and mislead travelers, raise whirlwinds, and dry up springs in the desert. The Ghoul lives on the flesh of men and women, whom he decoys to his haunts in wild and barren places, in order to kill and devour them, and when he cannot thus obtain ...

— Handbook of Universal Literature - From The Best and Latest Authorities • Anne C. Lynch Botta

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