Category:Mistake

Mis*take", v. t. [imp. & obs. p. p. Mistook; p. p. Mistaken; p. pr. & vb. n. Mistaking.] Etym: [Pref. mis- + take: cf. Icel. mistaka.]

1. To take or choose wrongly. [Obs. or R.] Shak.

2. To take in a wrong sense; to misunderstand misapprehend, or misconceive; as, to mistake a remark; to mistake one's meaning. Locke. My father's purposes have been mistook. Shak.

3. To substitute in thought or perception; as, to mistake one person for another. A man may mistake the love of virtue for the practice of it. Johnson.

4. To have a wrong idea of in respect of character, qualities, etc.; to misjudge. Mistake me not so much, To think my poverty is treacherous. Shak.

mistake Mis*take", v. i.

Defn: To err in knowledge, perception, opinion, or judgment; to commit an unintentional error. Servants mistake, and sometimes occasion misunderstanding among friends. Swift.

mistake Mis*take", n.

1. An apprehending wrongly; a misconception; a misunderstanding; a fault in opinion or judgment; an unintentional error of conduct. Infallibility is an absolute security of the understanding from all possibility of mistake. Tillotson.

2. (Law)

Defn: Misconception, error, which when non-negligent may be ground for rescinding a contract, or for refusing to perform it. No mistake, surely; without fail; as, it will happen at the appointed time, and no mistake. [Low]

Syn. -- Blunder; error; bull. See Blunder.