myschef
Middle English
Alternative forms
- meschief, meschif, mischeef, mischef, mischief, myschief, meschef, myscheffe, myschyffe, myschefe, mescheef, myscheeff, myschyef, myssheve
Etymology
From Old French meschief, from meschever; it was often interpreted as mys- + chef, which it ultimately is equivalent to.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /mɛsˈtʃeːf/, /ˈmisˈtʃeːf/, /ˈmistʃif/
Noun
myschef (plural myscheves or myschefes)
- A troubling or unfortunate situation or event; an issue, misfortune, disaster, or hardship.
- a. 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Summoner's Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, line 2190 -2191:
- Sir, quod this frere, an odious meschief, / This day bityd is to myn ordre and me.
- "Sir", said this friar, an odious misfortune / Has afflicted my order and me today.
-
- Distress, torment, agony; the feeling of sorrowfulness.
- An affliction or detrimental condition; that which harms.
- a. 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Knight's Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, line 1324-1325:
- Allas, I se a serpent or a theef, / That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef.
- Now, I see a serpent or a thief, / That to many a true person has done injury.
-
- Iniquity, wrongfulness, or sin; malicious acts or actions.
- The chaos or turmoil created by conflict or battling; the negative effects of warfare.
- A need or want of something; poorness, hardship.
Related terms
- myscheven
- myschevous
- myschevously
Descendants
- English: mischief
- Scots: mischief
References
- “mischẹ̄f, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-09-12.