Misprision

Misprision
Misprision Mis*pri"sion, n. [LL. misprisio, or OF. mesprison, prop., a mistaking, but confused with OF. mespris contempt, F. m['e]pris. See 2d {Misprise}, {Misprize}, {Prison}.] [1913 Webster] 1. The act of misprising; misapprehension; misconception; mistake. [Archaic] --Fuller. [1913 Webster]

The misprision of this passage has aided in fostering the delusive notion. --Hare. [1913 Webster]

2. Neglect; undervaluing; contempt. [Obs.] --Shak. [1913 Webster]

3. (Law) A neglect, negligence, or contempt. [1913 Webster]

Note: In its larger and older sense it was used to signify ``every considerable misdemeanor which has not a certain name given to it in the law.'' --Russell. In a more modern sense it is applied exclusively to two offenses: 1.

{Misprision of treason}, which is omission to notify the authorities of an act of treason by a person cognizant thereof. --Stephen. 2.

{Misprision of felony}, which is a concealment of a felony by a person cognizant thereof. --Stephen. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Misprision — (from Old French: mesprendre, modern French: meprendre, to misunderstand ) is a term of English law used to describe certain kinds of offence. Writers on criminal law usually divide misprision into two kinds, negative or positive. It survives in… …   Wikipedia

  • misprision — mis·pri·sion /mis pri zhən/ n [Anglo French, error, wrongdoing, from Old French, from mesprendre to make a mistake, from mes wrongly + prendre to take, from Latin prehendere to seize] 1: neglectful or wrongful performance of an official duty 2: a …   Law dictionary

  • misprision — (n.) wrong action, a failure on the part of authority, early 15c., from Anglo Fr. mesprisioun mistake, error, wrong action or speech, from O.Fr. mesprision mistake, wrongdoing, fault, blame, crime, from mespris, pp. of mesprendre to mistake, act… …   Etymology dictionary

  • misprision — [mis prizh′ən] n. [ME mesprision < OFr < pp. of mesprendre, to take wrongly < mes ,MIS 1 + prendre < L prehendere, to take: see PREHENSILE] 1. a mistake, now especially one due to misreading, either deliberate or unintended, or to… …   English World dictionary

  • misprision — A word used to describe an offense which does not possess a specific name. United States v. Perlstein, C.C.A.N.J., 126 F.2d 789, 798. But more particularly and properly the term denotes either: (1) a contempt against the sovereign, the government …   Black's law dictionary

  • misprision — A word used to describe an offense which does not possess a specific name. United States v. Perlstein, C.C.A.N.J., 126 F.2d 789, 798. But more particularly and properly the term denotes either: (1) a contempt against the sovereign, the government …   Black's law dictionary

  • misprision — misprision1 /mis prizh euhn/, n. 1. a neglect or violation of official duty by one in office. 2. failure by one not an accessory to prevent or notify the authorities of treason or felony. 3. a contempt against the government, monarch, or courts,… …   Universalium

  • misprision — noun a) Criminal neglect of duty or wrongful execution of official duties. b) Misinterpretation or misunderstanding. See Also: misprision of felony, misprision of treason …   Wiktionary

  • misprision — 1. n. Law 1 (in full misprision of a felony or of treason) the deliberate concealment of one s knowledge of a crime, treason, etc. 2 a wrong action or omission. Etymology: ME f. AF mesprisioun f. OF mesprison error f. mesprendre to mistake (as… …   Useful english dictionary

  • MISPRISION —    a high offence under, but close upon, the degree of a capital one; misprision of treason being a concealment of a felony without consenting to it …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

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