Mischief
noun
The action of causing harm or trouble with an intention.
She has a glitter in her eyes that says she's up to mischief.
Often appears as...
- get into mischief
- make mischief
noun
Damage or harm.
The child's mischief caused his parents to pay for the broken window.
Often appears as...
- do mischief
- cause mischief
noun
In law, an action damaging to the community but not punishable under criminal law.
Their mischief was seen as a civil matter, not a criminal one.
Often appears as...
- mischief rule
- common mischief
Usage tips
Formal
Technical
idiom
Causing or intended to cause harm or trouble.
He had a "mischief-making" expression on his face.
Often appears as...
- mischief-maker
- make mischief
Usage tips
Idiomatic
noun
The action of causing harm or trouble with an intention.
She has a glitter in her eyes that says she's up to mischief.
Often appears as...
- get into mischief
- make mischief
noun
Damage or harm.
The child's mischief caused his parents to pay for the broken window.
Often appears as...
- do mischief
- cause mischief
noun
In law, an action damaging to the community but not punishable under criminal law.
Their mischief was seen as a civil matter, not a criminal one.
Often appears as...
- mischief rule
- common mischief
Usage tips
Formal
Technical
idiom
Causing or intended to cause harm or trouble.
He had a "mischief-making" expression on his face.
Often appears as...
- mischief-maker
- make mischief
Usage tips
Idiomatic
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Intent Matters
Mischief implies intentional action, not accidental harm or trouble.
He replaced her shampoo with paint, clearly intending mischief.
Pro Tip 2/3Playful Tone
Sometimes 'mischief' indicates playful behavior, not meant to be truly harmful.
The kittens' mischief involved stealing socks from the laundry hamper.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Serious
'Mischief' often refers to minor harm, so it's not usually used for serious offenses.
The teenagers' mischief caused the neighbors some annoyance but nothing serious.
Pro Tip 1/3Intent Matters
Mischief implies intentional action, not accidental harm or trouble.
He replaced her shampoo with paint, clearly intending mischief.
Pro Tip 2/3Playful Tone
Sometimes 'mischief' indicates playful behavior, not meant to be truly harmful.
The kittens' mischief involved stealing socks from the laundry hamper.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Serious
'Mischief' often refers to minor harm, so it's not usually used for serious offenses.
The teenagers' mischief caused the neighbors some annoyance but nothing serious.
Pro Tip 1/3Intent Matters
Mischief implies intentional action, not accidental harm or trouble.
He replaced her shampoo with paint, clearly intending mischief.
Pro Tip 2/3Playful Tone
Sometimes 'mischief' indicates playful behavior, not meant to be truly harmful.
The kittens' mischief involved stealing socks from the laundry hamper.
Pro Tip 3/3Not Always Serious
'Mischief' often refers to minor harm, so it's not usually used for serious offenses.
The teenagers' mischief caused the neighbors some annoyance but nothing serious.
Compare with
discordfollymalicemayhemmisdeednaughtinessprankshenaniganstomfoolerytrickery
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Video examples
The punishable perils of...
in an attempt to cover up wholly quotable and pervasively paraphrased issues in a text. Some passages are meticulously documented, quoted, or paraphrased, while others are presented entirely as one's own. As you can see, the D.P.I. has its hands full, tackling all sorts of academic mischief and mayhem,
Video examples
Afra Raymond: Three...
it's been going on forever, it probably will continue forever, and there's no point passing any laws, because there's little we can do about it. And I want to demonstrate that that, too, is a dangerous myth, very dangerous. It's a piece of public mischief. And I want to speak a little bit,
Video examples
The chaotic brilliance...
Basquiat spent his childhood making art and mischief in Boerum Hill. While he never attended art school, he learned by wandering through New York galleries, and listening to the music his father played at home. He drew inspiration from unexpected places,
Video examples
Why should you read “The...
and a giant cat named Behemoth– are seen to have uncanny magical powers, which they use to stage their performance while leaving a trail of havoc and confusion in their wake. Much of the novel’s dark humor comes not only from this demonic mischief,
Video examples
Steven Pinker and...
As to any primary mischief, it's evident that it produces no pain in anyone. On the contrary, it produces pleasure. The partners are both willing. If either of them be unwilling, the act is an offense, totally different in its nature of effects.
Video examples
Electric Vocabulary
that it was possible to link these weapons of mischief together. Franklin, continuing with the metaphor, likened this grouping to cannons on a ship. The gun deck on a military vessel fired their cannons simultaneously, in a battery.
Video examples
Elephants at Play PIPE...
characteristics that we really admire so they have that playfulness within them they have a sense of mischief yeah you know if you see elephants down at the waterhole flying around you know swimming around and splashing that's
Video examples
Storytellers Summit Day...
there were shocked faces in his delegation which mirrored my own but still not my heart when he remarked about the white domination and said oh yes we did a lot of mischief back there
Video examples
What I've learned about...
they'll get into just a little bit of mischief. Where is the powder? I don't know. Well, where did you put it, where did it -- Who did it?
Video examples
Big Brother Lion PIPE...
playin and exploring and sometimes getting up to mischief with Rambo is a
Video examples
The punishable perils of...
in an attempt to cover up wholly quotable and pervasively paraphrased issues in a text. Some passages are meticulously documented, quoted, or paraphrased, while others are presented entirely as one's own. As you can see, the D.P.I. has its hands full, tackling all sorts of academic mischief and mayhem,
Video examples
Afra Raymond: Three...
it's been going on forever, it probably will continue forever, and there's no point passing any laws, because there's little we can do about it. And I want to demonstrate that that, too, is a dangerous myth, very dangerous. It's a piece of public mischief. And I want to speak a little bit,
Video examples
The chaotic brilliance...
Basquiat spent his childhood making art and mischief in Boerum Hill. While he never attended art school, he learned by wandering through New York galleries, and listening to the music his father played at home. He drew inspiration from unexpected places,
Video examples
Why should you read “The...
and a giant cat named Behemoth– are seen to have uncanny magical powers, which they use to stage their performance while leaving a trail of havoc and confusion in their wake. Much of the novel’s dark humor comes not only from this demonic mischief,
Video examples
Steven Pinker and...
As to any primary mischief, it's evident that it produces no pain in anyone. On the contrary, it produces pleasure. The partners are both willing. If either of them be unwilling, the act is an offense, totally different in its nature of effects.
Video examples
Electric Vocabulary
that it was possible to link these weapons of mischief together. Franklin, continuing with the metaphor, likened this grouping to cannons on a ship. The gun deck on a military vessel fired their cannons simultaneously, in a battery.
Video examples
Elephants at Play PIPE...
characteristics that we really admire so they have that playfulness within them they have a sense of mischief yeah you know if you see elephants down at the waterhole flying around you know swimming around and splashing that's
Video examples
Storytellers Summit Day...
there were shocked faces in his delegation which mirrored my own but still not my heart when he remarked about the white domination and said oh yes we did a lot of mischief back there
Video examples
What I've learned about...
they'll get into just a little bit of mischief. Where is the powder? I don't know. Well, where did you put it, where did it -- Who did it?
Video examples
Big Brother Lion PIPE...
playin and exploring and sometimes getting up to mischief with Rambo is a
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Robert Baden-Powell
English Soldier
From the boys' point of view, scouting puts them into fraternity-gangs, which is their natural organisation, whether for games, mischief, or loafing; it gives them a smart dress and equipments; it appeals to their imagination and romance; and it engages them in an active, open-air life.
Quote examples
Aristotle
Greek Philosopher
In poverty and other misfortunes of life, true friends are a sure refuge. The young they keep out of mischief; to the old they are a comfort and aid in their weakness, and those in the prime of life they incite to noble deeds.
Quote examples
Beatrice Wood
American Artist
You know, God, the power that makes life, whatever it is, had just to make two things, masculine and feminine, for all this mischief. And made them so there is this entirely different point of view about love and sex.
Quote examples
George Borrow
British Author
It has been said that idleness is the parent of mischief, which is very true; but mischief itself is merely an attempt to escape from the dreary vacuum of idleness.
Quote examples
Anne Enright
Irish Author
I love the characters not knowing everything and the reader knowing more than them. There's more mischief in that and more room for seriousness, too.
Quote examples
Stef Wertheimer
Israeli Businessman
My purpose is to keep people busy and out of mischief - to create good and interesting jobs for them that help families stay together.
Quote examples
Giorgio Chiellini
Italian Athlete
The truth is, I admire his mischief, because if Suarez were to lose that, he would become an average player.
Quote examples
Voltaire
French Writer
The opportunity for doing mischief is found a hundred times a day, and of doing good once in a year.
Quote examples
Aeschylus
Greek Poet
What exists outside is a man's concern; let no woman give advice; and do no mischief within doors.
Quote examples
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
French Writer
There are but very few men clever enough to know all the mischief they do.
Quote examples
Robert Baden-Powell
English Soldier
From the boys' point of view, scouting puts them into fraternity-gangs, which is their natural organisation, whether for games, mischief, or loafing; it gives them a smart dress and equipments; it appeals to their imagination and romance; and it engages them in an active, open-air life.
Quote examples
Aristotle
Greek Philosopher
In poverty and other misfortunes of life, true friends are a sure refuge. The young they keep out of mischief; to the old they are a comfort and aid in their weakness, and those in the prime of life they incite to noble deeds.
Quote examples
Beatrice Wood
American Artist
You know, God, the power that makes life, whatever it is, had just to make two things, masculine and feminine, for all this mischief. And made them so there is this entirely different point of view about love and sex.
Quote examples
George Borrow
British Author
It has been said that idleness is the parent of mischief, which is very true; but mischief itself is merely an attempt to escape from the dreary vacuum of idleness.
Quote examples
Anne Enright
Irish Author
I love the characters not knowing everything and the reader knowing more than them. There's more mischief in that and more room for seriousness, too.
Quote examples
Stef Wertheimer
Israeli Businessman
My purpose is to keep people busy and out of mischief - to create good and interesting jobs for them that help families stay together.
Quote examples
Giorgio Chiellini
Italian Athlete
The truth is, I admire his mischief, because if Suarez were to lose that, he would become an average player.
Quote examples
Voltaire
French Writer
The opportunity for doing mischief is found a hundred times a day, and of doing good once in a year.
Quote examples
Aeschylus
Greek Poet
What exists outside is a man's concern; let no woman give advice; and do no mischief within doors.
Quote examples
Francois de La Rochefoucauld
French Writer
There are but very few men clever enough to know all the mischief they do.
Example 1 of 10
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