mischief

[ mis-chif ]

noun

1. conduct or activity that playfully causes petty annoyance.
2. a tendency or disposition to tease, vex, or annoy.
3. a vexatious or annoying action.
4. harm or trouble, especially as a result of an agent or cause.

   Synonyms: hurt

5. an injury or evil caused by a person or other agent or cause.
6. a cause or source of harm, evil, or annoyance.
7. the devil.

mischief

/ ˈmɪstʃɪf /

noun

1. wayward but not malicious behaviour, usually of children, that causes trouble, irritation, etc
2. a playful inclination to behave in this way or to tease or disturb
3. injury or harm caused by a person or thing
4. a person, esp a child, who is mischievous
5. a source of trouble, difficulty, etc

   floods are a great mischief to the farmer

Word History and Origins

Origin of mischief¹

1250–1300; Middle English meschef < Old French, noun derivative of meschever to end badly, come to grief. See mis- ¹, achieve

Word History and Origins

Origin of mischief¹

C13: from Old French meschief disaster, from meschever to meet with calamity; from mes- mis- ¹+ chever to reach an end, from chef end, chief

Idioms and Phrases

see make mischief .

Synonym Study

See damage.

Example Sentences

The character went on to appear in 17 novels and 39 novellas in narratives that detailed a wide range of adventures and mischief.

From Time

They steep mischief and self-assertion — both sexual and cultural — in solutions of tender pathos.

From Washington Post

While Kari and Carel sounds like a ’70s sitcom about roommates who work at a chocolate factory and the mischief they get into, it’s actually the first step in understanding where “curry” comes from.

From Ozy

If there was a side of a power conference bracket designed for bid-thieving mischief entering the week, it was the top half of the Big East tournament because of top-seeded Villanova’s short-handedness.

From Washington Post

You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of both the science itself and how science gets done — including plenty of mischief.

From Washington Post

Then he could actually start making things better, instead of just making mischief.

From The Daily Beast

Making sense of her life on the page, deploying raw emotion alongside humor and wry mischief, has long been a Bechdel pursuit.

From The Daily Beast

This year, White Mischief is taking a break from its usual big productions and having a number of more intimate soirees.

From The Daily Beast

His entry takes the reader through a day of mischief with Bast, the somewhat mysterious creature from the Chronicles series.

From The Daily Beast

The move apparently was to make sure none of the invitees was up to any mischief.

From The Daily Beast

That woman meant mischief, or she would never have dared to suggest that a British officer should throw in his lot with hers.

From Project Gutenberg

Lucy Warrender, ever ready for mischief, feigned an intense interest in racing matters, but failed to draw Lord Hetton.

From Project Gutenberg

Its vitals were going—were gone, before the smallest indications of mischief appeared upon the surface.

From Project Gutenberg

The cock springs out of its seat when water gets into the cylinder, and prevents any mischief from the velocity of the fly-wheel.

From Project Gutenberg

Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• catastrophe
• evil
• misconduct
• playfulness
• prank
• sabotage
• vandalism
• wrongdoing