myschef

Middle English

Alternative forms

• meschief, meschif, mischeef, mischef, mischief, myschief, meschef, myscheffe, myschyffe, myschefe, mescheef, myscheeff, myschyef, myssheve

Etymology

From Old French meschief, from meschever; it was often interpreted as mis- +‎ chef, which it ultimately is equivalent to.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɛsˈtʃeːf/, /ˈmisˈtʃeːf/, /ˈmistʃif/

Noun

myschef (plural myscheves or myschefes)

1. A troubling or unfortunate situation or event; an issue, misfortune, disaster, or hardship.

   • a. 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Summoner's Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, lines 2190 -2191:

     Sir, quod this frere, an odious meschief, / This day bityd is to myn ordre and me.

     "Sir", said this friar, an odious misfortune / Has afflicted my order and me today.

2. Distress, torment, agony; the feeling of sorrowfulness.
3. An affliction or detrimental condition; that which harms.

   • a. 1400, Geoffrey Chaucer, “The Knight's Tale”, in The Canterbury Tales, lines 1324-1325:

     Allas, I se a serpent or a theef, / That many a trewe man hath doon mescheef.

     Now, I see a serpent or a thief, / That to many a true person has done injury.

4. Iniquity, wrongfulness, or sin; malicious acts or actions.
5. The chaos or turmoil created by conflict or battling; the negative effects of warfare.
6. A need or want of something; poorness, hardship.

Related terms

• myscheven
• myschevous
• myschevously

Descendants

• English: mischief
• Scots: mischief

References

• “mischẹ̄f (n.)”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-09-12.