To make mischief

To make mischief
Mischief Mis"chief (m[i^]s"ch[i^]f), n. [OE. meschef bad result, OF. meschief; pref. mes- (L. minus less) + chief end, head, F. chef chief. See {Minus}, and {Chief}.] [1913 Webster] 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. [1913 Webster]

Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs. --Ps. lii. 2. [1913 Webster]

The practice whereof shall, I hope, secure me from many mischiefs. --Fuller. [1913 Webster]

2. Cause of trouble or vexation; trouble. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

The mischief was, these allies would never allow that the common enemy was subdued. --Swift. [1913 Webster]

{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.] [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • make mischief — index mistreat Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • make mischief — make ˈmischief idiom to do or say sth deliberately to upset other people, or cause trouble between them Main entry: ↑mischiefidiom …   Useful english dictionary

  • make mischief — intentionally cause damage, sabotage; incite, instigate …   English contemporary dictionary

  • Mischief — Mis chief (m[i^]s ch[i^]f), n. [OE. meschef bad result, OF. meschief; pref. mes (L. minus less) + chief end, head, F. chef chief. See {Minus}, and {Chief}.] [1913 Webster] 1. Harm; damage; esp., disarrangement of order; trouble or vexation caused …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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  • mischief — mis|chief [ˈmıstʃıf] n [Date: 1200 1300; : Old French; Origin: meschief something bad that happens , from mes ( MIS ) + chief head, end ] 1.) [U] bad behaviour, especially by children, that causes trouble or damage, but no serious harm ▪ Now run… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • mischief — n. 1) to cause, do, make mischief 2) to be up to, get into mischief 3) malicious mischief 4) out of mischief (to stay out of mischief; to keep children out of mischief) 5) full of mischief 6) up to mischief * * * [ mɪstʃɪf] do get into mischief… …   Combinatory dictionary

  • mischief — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ criminal (law) … OF MISCHIEF ▪ glint, hint ▪ There was a glint of mischief in her eyes. VERB + MISCHIEF …   Collocations dictionary

  • mischief — mis|chief [ mıstʃıf ] noun uncount behavior or play, especially of children, that causes trouble but not serious harm to other people: be up to/get up to mischief (=do something bad): The boys are always up to some kind of mischief! get into… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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