mischance

English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman meschance, Old French meschance, meschaunce.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /mɪsˈtʃɑːns/

Noun

mischance ‎(plural mischances)

1. Bad luck, misfortune.
   • 1601, William Shakespeare, Hamlet, V.2:

     But let this same be presently perform'd / Even when men's minds are wild, lest more mischance / On plots and errors happen.

2. A mishap, an unlucky circumstance.
   • 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, II.3.3:

     He doth miraculously protect from thieves, incursions, sword, fire, and all violent mischances […]

Verb

mischance ‎(third-person singular simple present mischances, present participle mischancing, simple past and past participle mischanced)

1. (transitive) To undergo (a misfortune); to suffer (something unfortunate).

Anagrams

• mechanics