Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Mischief
Mis′chief
(mĭs′chĭf)
, Noun.
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.
Thy tongue deviseth
mischiefs
. Ps. lii. 2.
The practice whereof shall, I hope, secure me from many
mischiefs
. Fuller.
2.
Cause of trouble or vexation; trouble.
Milton.
The
mischief
was, these allies would never allow that the common enemy was subdued. Swift.
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.]
Syn. – 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. Mis′chief
,Verb.
T.
To do harm to.
[Obs.]
Milton.
Webster 1828 Edition
Mischief
MIS'CHIEF
, n.1.
Harm; hurt; injury; damage; evil, whether intended or not. A new law is made to remedy the mischief.2.
Intentional injury; harm or damage done by design. Thy tongue deviseth mischief. Ps.52.
3.
Ill consequence; evil; vexatious affair. The mischief was, these allies would never allow that the common enemy was subdued.
MIS'CHIEF
,Verb.
T.