mistrust

plural mistrusts

1. uncountableusuallyLack of trust or confidence; distrust, untrust.

   Synonyms: untrust, wantrust

present singular third person mistrusts · participle present mistrusting · participle past mistrusted · past mistrusted · first person past singular mistrusted · archaic present second person singular mistrustest · past second person singular mistrusted · archaic past second person singular mistrustedst · present singular third person mistrusts · archaic present singular third person mistrusteth · past singular third person mistrusted · past plural mistrusted · past subjunctive mistrusted · participle present mistrusting · participle past mistrusted

1. transitiveTo have no confidence in (something or someone).

   He mistrusted my youth, my common-sense, and my seamanship, and made a point of showing it in a hundred little ways.

   1898 September, Joseph Conrad, “Youth: a Narrative”, in Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, volume CLXIV, number DCCCCXCV, New York, N.Y.: The Leonard Scott Publication Co., page 311, column 1

   1 more example

   The Britans marching out againſt them, and miſtruſting thir own power, ſend to Germanus and his Collegue, repoſing more in the ſpiritual ſtrength of thoſe two men, than in thir own thouſands arm’d.

   1670, John Milton, “The Third Book”, in The History of Britain, that Part Especially now Call’d England. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for James Allestry, […] , →OCLC, page 104

2. transitiveTo be wary, suspicious or doubtful of (something or someone).

   The innocent beauty of her face was not as innocent to me as it had been; I mistrusted the natural grace and charm of her manner […]

   1849 May – 1850 November, Charles Dickens, “I Look about Me, and Make a Discovery”, in The Personal History of David Copperfield, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], published 1850, →OCLC, page 199

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   It is most strange to report what outragious acts […] haue beene committed […] by women especially, that will runne after their husbands into all places, all companies, as Iouianus Pontanus wife did by him, follow him whether soeuer hee goes, it matters not, or vpon what businesse, rauing […] , cursing, swearing, and mistrusting euery one she sees.

   1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, Oxford: Henry Cripps, Partition 3, Section 3, Member 2, Subsection 1, p. 683

   It was the Earls Court installation on the Piccadilly tube, opened on October 4, 1911, which really began the successful career of the escalator in this country. At first the public mistrusted it, and a wooden-legged man called "Bumper" Harris was engaged to travel up and down all day to give passengers confidence. Today there are 181 escalators at 57 London Transport stations.

   1957 July 28, Charles E. Lee, “The Changing Face of Transport”, in Railway Magazine, page 451

3. transitiveTo suspect, to imagine or suppose (something) to be the case.

   "So I'm here to say I'm sorry." Another big gulp. Troop heaved himself slowly off the locker he was sitting on and held out an eleven-inch hand. "I mistrusted 'twould do you sights o' good; an' this shows I weren't mistook in my jedgments^([sic])."

   1897, Rudyard Kipling, Captains Courageous

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   […] I propheſie, that many a thouſand, Which now miſtruſt no parcell of my feare, And many an old mans ſighe, and many a Widdowes, And many an Orphans water-ſtanding-eye, Men for their Sonnes, Wiues for their Husbands, Orphans, for their Parents timeles death, Shall rue the houre that euer thou was’t borne.

   c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene vi], page 171, column 2

   As soon as it was dark enough to conceal our Flight, we assembl’d together, and took a considerable Quantity of Muslins and Callicoes, and hung them upon the Bushes, that the Spies, who we knew watch’d us, might not any ways mistrust our sudden Removal.

   1743, Robert Drury, The Pleasant, and Surprizing Adventures of Mr. Robert Drury, during his Fifteen Years Captivity on the Island of Madagascar, London, page 51

   Those who had known the circumstances of her discovery, had gradually come to look upon her as the child of those who treasured her as if she had been their own; and the playmates of her childhood days had never mistrusted there was a mystery hanging about her "romantic" name,—Sea-flower.

   1859, Ferna Vale, Natalie; or, A Gem Among the Sea-Weeds

4. intransitiveTo be suspicious.

   And yes, she has long mistrusted That a cider apple tree In bearing there to-day is hers, Or at least may be.

   1916, Robert Frost, “A Girl’s Garden”, in Mountain Interval, New York: Henry Holt & Co, page 61

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   She wuz soft in her complexion, her lips, her cheeks, her hands, and as I mistrusted at that first minute, and found out afterwards, soft in her head too.

   1887, Marietta Holley, chapter 2, in Samantha at Saratoga, Philadelphia: Hubbard Brothers, page 46