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mistakes

 - 4 dictionary results

mis⋅take

  [mi-steyk] noun, verb, -took, -tak⋅en, -tak⋅ing.
Use mistakes in a Sentence
–noun
1. an error in action, calculation, opinion, or judgment caused by poor reasoning, carelessness, insufficient knowledge, etc.
2. a misunderstanding or misconception.
–verb (used with object)
3. to regard or identify wrongly as something or someone else: I mistook him for the mayor.
4. to understand, interpret, or evaluate wrongly; misunderstand; misinterpret.
–verb (used without object)
5. to be in error.
—Idiom
6. and no mistake, for certain; surely: He's an honorable person, and no mistake.
Origin:
1300–30; ME mistaken (v.) < ON mistaka to take in error. See mis- 1 , take

Related forms:
mis⋅tak⋅er, noun
mis⋅tak⋅ing⋅ly, adverb

Synonyms:
1. inaccuracy, erratum, fault, oversight. Mistake, blunder, error, slip refer to deviations from right, accuracy, correctness, or truth. A mistake, grave or trivial, is caused by bad judgment or a disregard of rule or principle: It was a mistake to argue. A blunder is a careless, stupid, or gross mistake in action or speech, suggesting awkwardness, heedlessness, or ignorance: Through his blunder the message was lost. An error (often interchanged with mistake) is an unintentional wandering or deviation from accuracy, or right conduct: an error in addition. A slip is usually a minor mistake made through haste or carelessness: a slip of the tongue. 4. misconceive, misjudge, err.

Antonyms:
2. understanding.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To mistakes
mis·take   (mĭ-stāk')   
n.  

  1. An error or fault resulting from defective judgment, deficient knowledge, or carelessness.

  2. A misconception or misunderstanding.

v.   mis·took (mĭ-stŏŏk'), mis·tak·en (mĭ-stā'kən), mis·tak·ing, mis·takes

v.   tr.

  1. To understand wrongly; misinterpret: mistook my politeness for friendliness.

  2. To recognize or identify incorrectly: He mistook her for her sister.

v.   intr.
To make a mistake; err.

[From Middle English mistaken, to misunderstand, from Old Norse mistaka, to take in error : mis-, wrongly; see mei-1 in Indo-European roots + taka, to take.]
mis·tak'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

mistake  (v.)
c.1330, from O.N. mistaka "take in error, miscarry," from mis- "wrongly" (see mis- (1)) + taka "take." The noun is attested from 1638.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: mis·take
Function: noun
1 : an unintentional error esp. in legal procedure or form that does not indicate bad faith and that commonly warrants excuse or relief by the court mistake, or irregularity> mistake>
2 : an erroneous belief: as a : a state of mind that is not in accordance with the facts existing at the time a contract is made and that may be a ground for the rescission or reformation of the contract b : a misconception at the time of an offense alleged by a defendant
mistake of fact
1 : a mistake regarding a fact or facts esp. that significantly affects the performance of a contract
2 : a criminal defense that attempts to eliminate culpability on the ground that the defendant operated from an unintentional misunderstanding of fact rather than from a criminal purpose
mistake of law
: a mistake involving the misunderstanding or incorrect application of law in regard to an act, contract, transaction, determination, or state of affairs; also : a criminal defense alleging such a mistake
NOTE: In both contract and criminal law a mistake of law is a weaker ground for relief or acquittal than a mistake of fact.
mutual mistake
: a mistake common to both parties to a contract who were in agreement about the purpose or terms of the contract mutual mistake>
unilateral mistake
: a mistake on the part of one party to a contract that is usually not a ground for rescission or reformation unless one party stands to profit or benefit improperly from the mistake
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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