mischievious

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Jump to navigation Jump to search

English

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From mischievous, under the influence of adjectives ending in -ious.

Pronunciation

[edit]

Adjective

[edit]

mischievious (comparative more mischievious, superlative most mischievious)

  1. (nonstandard) Alternative form of mischievous and mischevious
    • 1795, a correspondent to the Home Office; quoted in 2014, John Stevenson, Popular Disturbances in England 1700-1832, 2nd edition, Routledge, p. 181
      'a want of food must and will keep the popular mind in such a state of irritability as to be easily worked upon by mischievious men'
    • 2008, Karl Woodbury, England Is Truly a Magical Place:
      Jenny and Lenny, the mischievious twins, With muddied knees and gap-toothed grins, And rumbling tummies - they lick their lips, It's time for fish fingers, beans and chips.
    • 2009, Saul H. Rosenthal, French Faux Amis: The Combined Book, page 17:
      In French, the meanings of malicieux and malice have changed to mean mischievious and mischieviousness, with an implication of cleverness and perhaps a little teasing.
    • 2014, Chris Davis, Lizards and Snakes for Dinner with Steaks:
      Most children are mischievious, in one way or another, but the boy in this book hatches a plan like no other, and invites some friends for dinner.

Usage notes

[edit]
  • This spelling, like mischevious, is attested from the 16th century on, so the corresponding pronunciation is at least as old.