MISCHIEF • DICTIONARY ONE.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

... asked a gentle voice beside him. It was Fandor, who, knowing nothing of what had passed, but suspecting there was mischief afoot, had come in search of Juve. Had he not seen the diplomat whom he knew to be Fantomas, and Fantomas on the point of being arrested, cross the ballroom rapidly and disappear ...

— A Nest of Spies • Pierre Souvestre

... floating about for a hundred years." "But how did you get into the coffin?" asked Sila. "Listen, and I will tell you the whole story," replied Ivashka. "I was a great magician; my mother was told that I did great mischief to mankind by my arts, and therefore ordered me to be put into this coffin and set adrift on the open sea: for more than a hundred years I have been floating about, and no one has ever picked me up; but to you I owe my rescue, and I will therefore serve you, and render you all the help ...

— The Russian Garland - being Russian Falk Tales • Various

... the young auctioneer was in for a serious time of it. As has been said, the would-be purchaser of a pistol was just drunk enough to be ugly and unreasonable. He had refused to leave the auction store, and now he was bent upon doing mischief to the boy who had failed to treat him as he fancied he ought ...

— Young Auctioneers - The Polishing of a Rolling Stone • Edward Stratemeyer

... he ejaculated, "your own mother wouldn't own you now!" Then he laughed heartily and chuckled to himself, and gave the cub a couple of jerks that took the mischief out of him. I dragged myself after Hiram into the glade. The cabin was large and very old, and part of ...

— The Young Forester • Zane Grey

... therefore; and when I saw how Mr. Kelson was overhauling every rope and sail and spar, and making everything snug alow and aloft, I only congratulated myself on having an officer who kept the men too busy to get into mischief, and lost no opportunity for putting and ...

— Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. 15, - No. 90, June, 1875 • Various

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