misconduct

English

Etymology 1

mis- +‎ conduct (noun sense)

Pronunciation

• (UK): enPR: mĭs-kŏnʹdŭkt, IPA^(key): /mɪsˈkɒndʌkt/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

Noun

misconduct (usually uncountable, plural misconducts)

1. Behavior that is considered to be unacceptable.

   The student was banned from using the university's computing resources for two weeks due to gross misconduct on the Internet.

Derived terms

• sexual misconduct

Translations

bad behavior — see misbehavior

Etymology 2

mis- +‎ conduct (verb sense)

Pronunciation

• enPR: mĭs-kən-dŭktʹ, IPA^(key): /mɪskənˈdʌkt/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

Verb

misconduct (third-person singular simple present misconducts, present participle misconducting, simple past and past participle misconducted)

1. (transitive) To mismanage. [from 18th c.]
2. (reflexive) To behave inappropriately, to misbehave. [from 19th c.]
   • 1958, Doris Lessing, A Ripple From the Storm, Harper Perennal, published 1995, page 224:

     It had been pointed out […] that in the past enemy aliens misconducting themselves had been returned to the internment camp.

3. (intransitive, rare) To act improperly.
   • 1869, Ebenezer Peck, “Spear v. United States: Dissenting Opinion”, in Charles C. Nott, Samuel H. Huntington, editors, Cases Decided in the Court of Claims of the United States, at the December Term for 1869, volume 5, published 1871, pages 213–14:

     The quartermasters have misconducted, and the government should bear the loss resulting from that misconduct.

   • 1881, William Stawell, “In re Victoria Steam Navigation Board, ex parte Allan”, in George H. F. Webb, editor, The Victorian Law Reports, volumes 7, 1881—XLIV and XLV Victoriæ, published 1882, page 264:

     It seems no answer for the recipient to allege that he was incompetent and misconducted, but that the acts were committed outside the jurisdiction.

   • 1882, David Taylor, “Boardman and another vs. The Westchester Fire Ins. Co. of New York”, in O. M. Conover, editor, Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Supreme Court of the State of Wisconsin […], volume 54, page 367:

     Whether the jury misconducted in making the view of the premises, or whether the court erred in instructing them as to what effect they should give, in making up their verdict, to matters which came under their observation while making the view, does not appear from the record in this case.

Translations

mismanage — see mismanage

misbehave — see misbehave