mistake

present singular third person mistakes · participle present mistaking · past mistook · participle past mistaken

1. transitiveTo understand wrongly, taking one thing or person for another.

   Don't mistake my kindness for weakness.

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   Sorry, I mistook you for my brother. You look very similar.

   My father’s purposes have been mistook;

   c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Fourth, […]. Epilogue.”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV,, scene ii]

   The reigning error of his life was, that he mistook the love for the practice of virtue, and was indeed not so much a good man, as the friend of goodness.

   1777, Samuel Johnson, “Life of the Author”, in The Works of Richard Savage with an Account of the Life and Writings of the Author, volume I, London: T. Evans, page lxi

   Because I don't want to know I didn't want to know I just didn't want to know I just didn't want Mistook the nods for an approval Just ignore the smoke and smile

   2003, “Blue”, performed by A Perfect Circle

2. obsoletetransitiveTo misunderstand (someone).

   Miſtake me not, my Lord, ’tis not my meaning / To raze one Title of your Honour out.

   1595 December 9 (first known performance), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Richard the Second”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies: Published According to the True Originall Copies (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], page 32

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   […] at last she so evidently demonstrated her Affection to him to be much stronger than what she bore her own Son, that it was impossible to mistake her any longer.

   1749, Henry Fielding, chapter 6, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume I, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book III, page 194

3. intransitiveobsoleteTo commit an unintentional error; to do or think something wrong.

   Impoſe me to what penance your inuention / Can lay vpon my ſinne, yet ſinn’d I not / But in miſtaking.

   1598–1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “Much Adoe about Nothing”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 119

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   1720, Jonathan Swift, “Letter to a Young Clergyman” in The Works of Jonathan Swift, London: Charles Elliot, 1784, Volume 10, pp. 6-7, No gentleman thinks it is safe or prudent to send a servant with a message, without repeating it more than once, and endeavouring to put it into terms brought down to the capacity of the bearer; yet, after all this care, it is frequent for servants to mistake, and sometimes occasion misunderstandings among friends […]

   "Bah!" said the Englishwoman: "what knight ever feared cold? Besides, you mistake; the night is warm, and you look so handsome in your gown."

   1828, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter XVI, in Pelham; or, The Adventures of a Gentleman. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 127

   There is also a chancellor, — no, I mistake, — a chandler and green-grocer, with his hands full of warts; […]

   Synthesis of the English Language (Charles Saville): English Text with Opposite French Translation

   1857, T[héodore] Robertson, “[Charles Saville: […]] Chapter XXV”, in Synthèse de la langue anglaise (Charles Saville) : Texte anglais avec la traduction française en regard [Synthesis of the English Language (Charles Saville): English Text with Opposite French Translation], 2nd edition, Paris: Librairie française et anglaise de [French and English bookshop of] J.-H. Truchy; Ch. Leroy, successeur [successor]; […], page 240

4. obsoleterareTo take or choose wrongly.

   The Spear with erring Haste mistook its way, But plung’d in Eniopeus’ Bosom lay.

   1716, Alexander Pope, transl., The Iliad of Homer, London: Bernard Lintott, Volume 2, Book 8, lines 151-152, p. 252

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   The better act of purposes mistook / Is to mistake again; though indirect, / Yet indirection thereby grows direct,

   c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 10

plural mistakes

1. An error.

   He always made mistakes on purpose.

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   There were too many mistakes in the test that, unfortunately, made you fail.

   He, that would write exactly, muſt avoid a Barbarous Pronunciation, and conſider for facility, or thorow miſtake, many words are not ſounded after the beſt dialect. Such as […] Wun, one.

   1687, Chriſtopher Cooper, “Chap. XIX: Of Barbarous Speaking”, in The Engliſh Teacher, London: John Richardſon, for the Author, pages 77-78; republished Menston: Scolar Press, 1969

   1877, Henry Heth, quoting Robert E. Lee, in "Causes of the Defeat of Gen. Lee's Army at the Battle of GettysburgOpinions of Leading Confederate Soldiers.", Southern Historical Society Papers (1877), editor Rev. J. WM. Jones http://books.google.com/books?id=iDIFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA292&dq=lee+%22mistakes+were+made%22&hl=en&ei=fchaTbu4L8L98AaVs4n-DQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDUQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=lee%20%22mistakes%20were%20made%22&f=false After it is all over, as stupid a fellow as I am can see that mistakes were made. I notice, however, that my mistakes are never told me until it is too late.

   The statement also recognised that Eta’s “mistakes or mistaken decisions” had led to the deaths of people who had nothing to do with the conflict, both in the Basque country and beyond.

   2018 April 20, Sam Jones, “'We are truly sorry': Eta apologises for four decades of deadly violence”, in The Guardian, →ISSN, archived from the original on 27 Apr 2019

   Synonyms: aberration, bloomer, blooper, blunder, boner, boo-boo, break, clanger

2. ball gamesA pitch which was intended to be pitched in a hard-to-hit location, but instead ends up in an easy-to-hit place.