mistake

¹mis·take

verb \mə-ˈstāk\

mis·took \-ˈstu̇k\ mis·tak·en \-ˈstā-kən\ mis·tak·ing

Definition of MISTAKE

transitive verb

1

: to blunder in the choice of <mistook her way in the dark>

2

a : to misunderstand the meaning or intention of : misinterpret <don't mistake me, I mean exactly what I said>

b : to make a wrong judgment of the character or ability of

3

: to identify wrongly : confuse with another <I mistook him for his brother>

intransitive verb

: to be wrong <you mistook when you thought I laughed at you — Thomas Hardy>

— mis·tak·en·ly adverb

— mis·tak·er noun

Examples of MISTAKE

1. <the auctioneer mistook my nod for a bid, and I ended up buying a painting I don't even like>
2. <you seriously mistake me if you think I scare so easily>

Origin of MISTAKE

Middle English

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to MISTAKE

Synonyms

misapprehend, misconstrue, misinterpret, misknow, misperceive, misread, miss, misunderstand

Antonyms

appreciate, apprehend, catch, comprehend, conceive, fathom, get, grasp, grok, know, make out, penetrate, perceive, savvy, see, seize, take in, understand

Related Words

misconceive, misdeem, misjudge; mishear

Rhymes with MISTAKE

air brake, awake, backache, beefcake, beefsteak, betake, blacksnake, bull snake, canebrake, caretake, cheesecake, cheesesteak, clambake, club steak, corncrake, cube steak, cupcake, daybreak, disc brake, drum brake, earache, earthquake, fair shake, fast break, firebreak, firedrake, fish cake, flank steak, forsake, friedcake, fruitcake, green snake, grubstake, hand brake, handshake, headache, heartache, heartbreak, hoecake, hotcake, housebreak, intake, jailbreak, keepsake, king snake, lapstrake, mandrake, milk snake, moonquake, muckrake, namesake, newsbreak, oatcake, oil cake, opaque, outbreak, outtake, Pan-Cake, pancake, partake, pound cake, pump fake, rat snake, remake, retake, rewake, rock brake, seaquake, sea snake, seedcake, sheldrake, shortcake, snowflake, sponge cake, Swiss steak, tea cake, toothache, unmake, uptake, wheat cake, windbreak, wind shake, youthquake

²mistake

noun

Definition of MISTAKE

1

: a wrong judgment : misunderstanding

2

: a wrong action or statement proceeding from faulty judgment, inadequate knowledge, or inattention

Examples of MISTAKE

1. It would be a mistake to assume that we can rely on their help.
2. There must be some mistake.
3. The manuscript contains numerous spelling mistakes.
4. There's a mistake in the schedule.
5. “When does the movie start?” “At 8:00. No, wait—my mistake—it starts at 8:30.”

First Known Use of MISTAKE

1600

Related to MISTAKE

Synonyms

misapprehension, miscalculation, misjudging, misjudgment, misstep, slip, slipup

Related Words

blunder, boner, boob [British], clinker, errancy, error, fault, flub, fumble, gaffe, goof, inaccuracy, lapse, miscue, stumble, trip; foul-up, muff; misstatement; misconception, misconstruction, misconstruing, misimpression, misinterpretation, misprision, misunderstanding

Near Antonyms

accuracy, correctness, exactitude, exactness, preciseness, precision, strictness; inerrancy, infallibility, perfection

See Synonym Discussion at error