2. (In theology.) An effect above human Why had I not, with charitable hand, or natural power, performed in attesta- Took up a beggar's iss:e at my gates?

Who sineered thus, and mir'd with infamy, tion of some truth. The miracles of our Lord are peculiarly emi

I might have said no part of it is mine. Skaks. nent above the lying wonders of demons, in that Mire. n. s. [myr, Welsh; myra, Saxon; they were not made out of vain ostentation of mier, Dutch.] An ant; a pismire. power, and to raise unprofitable amazement; MI'RINESS. n. s. [from miry.] Dirtiness; but for the real benefit and advantage of men, fulness of mire. by feeding the hungry, healing all sorts of dis

Mi'RKSOME. adj. [morck, dark, Danish. cases, ejecting of devils, and reviving the dead.

Bentley.

In the derivatives of this set, no reguMIRA'CULOUS. adj. [miraculeux, Fr. from lar orthography is observed: it is com

miracle ) Done by miracle ; produced mon to write murky, to which the rest by miracle; effected by power more ought to conform.] Dark; obscure: than natural.

Through mirksome air her ready way she Arithmetical progression might easily demon

makes.

Fairy Quren, strate how fast mankind would increase, over- Mi'RROR. 1. s. (miroir, French ; mirar, passing as miraculous, though indeed natural,

Spanish, to look ] that example of the Israelites, who were multiplied in two hundred and fifteen years from se

1. A looking-glass; any thing which exventy upto six hundred thousand able men.

hibits representations of objects by reRaleigb's Essays.

flection. Restore this day, for thy great name,

And in his waters which your mirror make, Unto his ancient and miraculous right. Herbert. Behold your faces as the crystal bright. Spenser. Why this strength

That pow'r which gave me eyes the world to Miraculous yet réinaining in those locks?

view, His might continues in thee not for naught. To view myself infus'd an inward light,

Milton. Whereby my soul, as by a mirror true, At the first planting of the christian religion, Of her own form may take a perfect sight. God was pleased to accompany it with a miracu

Davies. lous power.

Tillotson.

Less bright the moon, MIRACULOUSLY. adv. [from miracu.

But opposite in levelld west was set lous.] By miracle; by power above

His mirror, with full face borrowing her light
From him.

Milton's Par. Lost that of nature.

Mirroir of poets, mirroir of our age, It was a singular providence of God, to draw Which her whole face beholding on thy stage, those porthern heathen nations down into those Pleas'd and displeas'd with her own faults, enchristian parts, where they might receive chris

dures tianity, and to mingle nations so remote mira

A remedy like those whom musick cures. culously, to make one blood and kindred of all

Waller, people, and each to have knowledge of him.

By chance he spy'd a mirroir while he spoke, Spenser.

And gazing there beheld his alter'd look; Turnus was to be slain that very day; and Wond'ring, he saw his features and his hue Æneas, wounded as he was, could not have en

So much were chang'd, that scarce himself he gaged him in single combat, unless his hurt had

knew.

Dryden. been miraculously healed.

Dryden.

Late as í rang'd thy crystal wilds of air, MIRACULOUSNESS. n. s. [from miracu- In the clear mirroir of thy ruling star, lous.] The state of being effected by

I saw, alas! some dread event impend. Pope. miracle ; superiority to natural power. 2. It is used for pattern; for that on which MIRADOR. n. s. (Spanish, from mirar, the eye ought to be fixed; as, men look

to look.) A balcony; a gallery whence in a glass to adjust their mien or dress; ladies see shows.

an examplar; an archetype. Mean time your valiant son, who had before The works of nature are no less exact, than Gain'd fame, rode round, to ev'ry mirador ;

if she did both behold and study how to express Beneath each lady's stand a stop he made, some absolute shape or mirror always present And bowing, took th' applauses which they paid. before her.

Hooker. Dryden. O goddess, heavenly bright, MIRE. 9. s. (meer, Dut,] Mud; dirt at Mirrour of grace and majesty divine. F. Queen, the bottom of water.

How far’st thou, mirror of all martial men ? He his rider frem her lofty steed

Shakspeare. Would have cast down, and trod in dirty mire.

Mirroir of ancient faith in early youth. Dryd.

Spenser. MI'RROR-STONE. n. s. [selenites, Lat.) A Here's that, which is too weak to be a sinner, kind of transparent stone.

Ainsworth. honest water, which ne'er left man i'th' mire. Sbaksp. Timon of Atbens.

Mirth. n. s. (myshde, Saxon.) Merri. I'm Ralph himself, your trusty squire,

ment; jollity ; gayety; laughter. Wh' bas dragg'd your donship out o'th' mire.

To give a kingdom for a mirth, to sit,
Hudibras.

And keep the turn of tippling with a slave.
I appeal to any man's reason, whether it be

Sbakspeert. not better that there should be a distinction of

His eye begets occasion for his wit; Land and sea, than that all should be mire and

For every object that the one doch catch, water.

More.

The other turns to a mirtb-moving jest. Shakse. Now plung’d in mire, now by sharp brambles

Most of the appearing mirth in the world is torn.

Roscommon.

no: mirth but art: the wounded spirit is not TO MIRE. v. a. [from the noun.] TO

seen, but walks under a disguise. South.

With genial joy to warm the soul, whelm in the mud ; to soil with mud. Bright Helen mix'd a mirth inspiring bowl Pope.

1

Mi’RTHFUL. adj. (mirtb and full.] Mer- The idle stroke enforcing furious way, ry; gay; cheerful.

Missing the mark of his misaimed sight,
No simple word,

Did fall to ground.

Fairy Queece That shall be utter'd at our mirthful board, MisANTHROPE. n. s. (misanthrope, Fr. Shall make us sad next morning. Ben fonson. MISA'NTHROPOS. S μισανθρωπο.] Α

Thc fcast was served; the howl was crown'd; hater of mankind. To the king's pleasure went the miril.fub round.

I am misanthropes, and hate mankind. Sbata. Prior.

Alas, poor dean! his only scope MI'RTHLESS. adj. (from mirth.) Joyless; Was to he held a misanthrope; cheerless.

This iuto gea'ral odium drew him. Swift. Mi'ry. adj. [from mire.]

MISA'NTHROPY. n. s. (misanthropie, Fr. 1. Deep in mud; inuddy.

from misanthrope.] Hatred of manki:d. Thou should'st have heard how her horse MisAPPLICATION. n. s. (mis and appli. fell, and she under her horse: thou should'st cation.) Application to a wrong purhave heard in low mirg a place, how she was bemoiled.

Sbakspeare:

pose.

The indistinction of many in the community All men who lived lazv lives, and died natural deaths, by sickness or br age, went into rast

of name, or the misapplication of the act of one

unto another, hath made some doubt thereof. caves under-ground, all dark and miry, full of

Bromur. noisome creatures, and there grovelled in endJess stench and misery.

Temple.

The vigilance of those who preside over these Deep, through a miry lane she pick'd her way,

charities is so exemplary, that persons disposed Above her ancle rose ihe chalky clay. Guy.

to do good can entertain no suspicions of the So have I seen ill-coupled hounds

misapplication of their bounty.

Atterbury. Drag diff'rent ways in miry grounds Swift.

It is our duty to be provident for the future,

and to guard against whatever may lead us 2. Consisting of mire.

into misapplications of it.

Rogers. Shall thou and I sit round about some fountain Looking all downwards to behold our cheeks,

To MISAPPLY'. v.a. (mis and apply.) To How they are stain'd like meadows, yet not dry, apply to wrong purposes. With virg slime left on them by a fiood? Virtue itself turns vice, being zisafplied,

Shakspeure. And vice sometimes by actions dignified. Sbak. Mis, an inseparable particle used in com- The holy treasure was to be reserved, and position to mark an ill sense, or depra

issued for holy uses, and not urisapplied to any other ends.

Howel. vation of the meaning: as, chance, luck;

He that knows, that whiteness is the name of mischance, ill luck; computation, reckon

that colour he has observed in snow, will not ing; miscomputation, false reckoning; 10

misapply that word as long as he retains that idea. lske, to be pleased ; 10 mislike, to be of

Locke. fended ; from mes in Teutonick and To MISAPPREHE'Nd. v. a. (mis and ap. French, used in the same sense. Of prehend.] Not to understand rightly. this it is difficult to give all the exam. That your reasonings may lose none of their ples; but those that follow will sufi

force by my misapprebending or misrepresenting

them, I shall give the reader your arguments. ciently explain it.

Locke MISACCEPTAʼtion. n. s. (mis and accep- MISAPPREHE'NSION. n. s. (mis and ap

tation.] The act of taking in a wrong prebension ] Mistake; not right apsense.

prehension. MISADVE'NTURE. N. s. (mesaventure, Fr. It is a degree of knowledge to be acquainted

mis and adventure.] Mischance; mis- with the causes of our ignorance: what we have fortune; ill luck; bad fortune.

to say under this head, will equally concern our Your looks are pale and wild, and do import misapprebensions and errors. Glanville, Some misadventure.

Sbakspeare. To MISASCRIBE. V. a. (mis and ascribe.] When a commander, either upon necessity or To ascribe falsly. visadacture, falleth into danger, it much ad

That may be misascribed to art which is the vancech both his reputation and enterprize, if

Hayward

bare production of nature. bravely he behaveth himself.

Boyle, The body consisted, after a!l the losses and To MISASSIGN. v. a. (mis and assign.] sisadventures, of no less than six thousand foot. To assign erroneously.

Clarendon. We have not misassigned the cause of this Distinguish betwixt misadventure and design.

phenomenon.

Boyle. L'Estrange. The trouble of a misadventure now and then, To Misbecoʻme. v.a. (mis and becomie.] that reaches not his innocence or reputation, Not to become; to be unseemly; not may not be an ill way to teach him more cau- to suit. tion.

Locke.

Either she has a possibility in that which ! MISADVE'NTURED. adj. (from misadven- think impossible, or else impossible loves need ture.] Unfortunate.

not misbecome me.

Sidney, Froin forth the fatal loins of these two foes,

What to the dauphin from England? A pair of starcrost lovers take their life;

-Scorn and defiance, slight regard, contempt, Whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows And any thing that may not misbecome Do with their death bury their parents strife.

The mighty sender.

Sbakspeare. Sbakspeare.

That boldness which lads get amongst playMISADVI'SED. adj. (mis and advised.] Ill

fellows, has such a mixture of rudeness and indirected.

turned confidence, that those misbecoming and MISA'IMED. adj. (mis and aim.) Not

disingenuous ways of shifting in the world must

be unlearned to make way for better principles. aimed rightly,

Locke.

Sbakspeare.

Portius, thou may’st rely upon my conduct, ployed in digging and plowing; and the excess Thy father will not act what misbec mes him. of fertility which contributed so much to their

Addison. miscarriages, was retracted and cut off. Woodw. MISBEGO's. adj. [begot or begotten

Your cures aloud you tell MISBEGO'TTEN. S with mis.] Unlaw.

But wisely your miscarriages conceal. Gartb.

How, alas! will be appear in that awful day, fully or irregularly begotten. Contaminated, base,

when even the failings ani miscarriages of the

righteous shall not be concealed, though the And misbegotten thood, I spill o thine. Sbaksp, Your words have taken such pains, as if they

mercy of God be magnified in their pardon. Rog. labour'd

2. Abortion; act of bringing forth before To bring man-slaughter into form, set quar

the time. relin

There must be miscarriages and abortions : Upon the head of valour; which, indeed,

for there died many women with child. Graunt. Is valour misbeat, and came into the world TO MISCA'RRY. v. . [wis and carry.) When sucts and actions were but newly born.

1. To fail; not to have the intended

Sakspeare. The aisbeg:iten infant grows,

event; not to succeed ; to be lost in And, ripe :cr birth, diste:ds with deadly throes an enterprise; not to reach the effect The sel..og rind, with unavailing strife,

intended. To leave the wooden womb, and pushes into life. Have you not heard of Frederick, the great

Dryden.

soldier, who miscarried at sea? Sbakstis To MISBEHA'VE. v. n. (mis and beba ve.] Our sister's man is certainly miscarried. Sbák. To act ill or improperly.

Is it concluded he shall be protector?

It is determin’d, not concluded yet: MISBEHA'VED. adj. (mis and behaved.)

But so it must be if the king miscarry. Sbaksp. Uncaught; ill-bred i uncivil.

If you miscarry, Harpiness courts thee in her best array; Your business of the world hath so an end, But, like a mistebav'd and sulien wench,

And machination ceases. Thuu pout'st upon thy fortune and thy love. Sweet Bassanio, my ships have all miscarried,

Shakspeare. my creditors grow cruel, iny estate is very low. MISBEHAVIOUR. n. s. (mis and beha

Sbakspeare. viour.) Ill conduct; bad practice.

I could mention some projects which I have The misbehaviour of particular persons does

brought to maturity, and others which have misa pot at all affect their cause, since a man may act

carried.

Addison. laudably in some respects, who does not so in No wonder that this expedient should so often Offers

Addison's Freebekler. miscarry, khich requires so inuch art and genius MisBELI'EF. n. s. (mis ant belief.] False

to arrive at any perfection in it. Swift.

2. To have an abortion. religion ; a wrong beliet. MISBELIEVER. n. s. (mis and believer.]

Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

Hoscu. One that lords a false religion, or be

So many politick conceptiors so elaborately lieves wrongly.

formed and wrought, and grown at length rire Ycs, if I drew it with a curst intent

for a delivery, do yet, in the issue, miscarry and To take a misbeliever to my bed,

prove abortive.

South. It must be so. Dryden's Don Sebastian.

His wite miscarried; but the abortion proved TO M115CA L. v.a. (mis and call.] To name a female fatus.

Pope and Arbuthnof. improperly.

Ycu have proved yourself more tender of an

othier's embrios, than the fondest mothers are of My heart will sigh when I miscalit so. Shuk.

for The third a:, which connects propositionis

you have preserved every thing and deduccth conclusions from them, the schools

that liniscarried or.

Pepe. call discorse; and we shall not miscal it if we To MISCA'st. v. a. (mis and cast.] To naire it reason.

Glanville's Stepsis. take a wrong account of. What you misral their folly is their care. Dry.

Men miscast their days; for in their age they TO MISCA'LCULATE. v.o. (mis and cal.

deduce the account not from the day of their culate.] To reckon wrong.

birth, but the year of our Lord wherein they After all the care I have taken, there may be,

were born.

Brown. in such a multitude of passages, several mis- MISCELLA'NE. n. s. (miscellaneus, Lat. quoted, misinterpreted, and miscalcul:ted.

Arbuthnot.

This is corrupted into mastlin or mestMISCAʼRRIAGE. 1. s. (mis and carriage.]

lin) Mixed corn : as, wheat and rye. 1. Unhappy event of an undertaking ;

It is thought to be of use to make some mis

cellane in corn; as if you sow a few beads with failare ; ill conduct. Resolutions of reforming do not always satisfy

wheat, your wheat will be the better.

Васол. justice, nor prevent vengeance for forier mis- MisceLLANEOUS. adj. [miscellaneus,

King Charles. Lat.) Mingled ; composed of various When a counsellor, to save himself,

kinds. Would lay miscarringes upon his frince,

Being miscellaneous in many things, he is to Exposing him to publick rage and hate,

be received with suspicion; for such as amass all 0, uis an act as infamously base,

relations must err in some, and without offence As, sbcvid a common soldier sculk behind, be unbelieved in many.

Brown. And thrust his general in the front of war. Dryd. And what the people but a herd confus'd,

If the neglece or abuse of the liberty he had, A miscellaneous rabble, who extol to ezanine what would really make for his hapa Things vulgar, and well weigh'd scarce worth the pire63, misleads him, the miscarriages that follow

praise.

Milton. on it must be imputed to his own election. Leeds MISCELLA'NEOUSNESS. n. s. [from mis

A great part of that time which the inhabitants of the former earth had to spare, and

cellaneous. ] Composition of various where they made so ill use, was now. em.

kinds

thvir own;

sort.

MISCELLANY. adj. (miscellaneus, Lat.) MISCHIEVOUSLY. adv. [from mischief.J Mixed of various kinds.

Noxiously; hurtfully; wickedly. The power of Spain consisteth in a veteran Nor was the cruel destiny coi tent army, compounded of miscellany forces of all na- To sweep at once her life and beauty too; tions.

Bacon, But like a harden'd selon took a pride MISCELLANY. n. s. A mass formed out To work more mischievously slow, of various kinds.

And plundered first, ar.d then destroy'd. Dry. I acquit myself of the presumption of having Mi'SCHIEVOUSNESS. n. s. [from mislent my name to recommend miscellanies or chievous.] Hurtfulness ; perniciousworks of other men.

Pope. When they have joined their pericranies,

ness; wickedness. Out skips a book of miscellanies. Swift.

Compare the harmlessness, the tenderness, the MISCHA'NCE. N. s. [mis and chance.] ill

modesty, and the ingenuous pliableness, which

is in youth, with the mischievousness, the slyness, luck; ill fortune; misfortune ; mishap.

the craft, the impudence, the falsehood, and the The lady Cecropia sent him to excuse the confirmed obstinacy found in an aged, long. mischence of her beasts ranging in that dangerous practised sinner.

Soutb. Sidney. Extreme dealing had driven her to put herself Mi'scible. Adlj: [from misceo, Lat.] Poswith a great lady, by which occasion she had

sible to be mingled. stumbled upon such mischances as were little for Acid spirits are subtile liquors which come the honour of her family,

Sidney

over in distillations, not inflammable, miscible View these letters full of bad mischance.

with water.

Arbutbrot. France is revolted.

Sbakspeare. MiscITA’TION. n. s. [mis and citation. ] Sleep rock thy brain,

Unfiir or false quotation. And never come mischance between us twain. Being charged with miscitation and unfair

Shakspeare. dealing, it was requisite to say something; ha Nothing can be a reasonable ground of de

nesty is a tender point.

Collier. spising a man but some fault chargeable upon To Misci'te. v. a. (mis and cite.] To him, and nothing can be a fault that is not naturally in a man's power to prevent; otherwise

quote wrong. it is a man's unhappiness, his mischance or cala- MISCLA'IM. 1. s. (mis and claim.] Mismity, but not his fault.

Souib. taken claim. MI'SCHIEF. 1. s. [meschef, old French.) Error, misclaim and forgetfulness, become 1. Harm; hurt; whatever is ill and inju. suitors for some remission of extreme rigour.

Bacon. riously done.

The law in that case punisheth the thought; MISCOMPUTA’TION. n. s. (mis and comfor better is a miscbiej than an inconvenience. putation.] False reckoning:

Spenser. It was a general misfortune and miscemputaCome you murth’ring ministers!

tion of that time, that the party had so good an Wherever in your sightless substances

opinion of their own reputation and interest. You wait on nature's mischief: Sbaksp.

Clarendor Thy tongue deviseth mischiifs. Psalms. MISCONCE'IT. n. s. (mis and conceit,

Was I the cause of miscbief, or the man, Whose lawless lust the fatal war began? Dryd.

MISCONCE'PTION.S and conception.] 2. Ill consequence ; vexatious affair. False opinion ; wrong notion.

The other which instead of it we are required States call in foreigners to assist them against a common enemy; but the miscbief was, these

to accept is only by error and misconceit named allies would never allow that the common ene

the ordinance of Jesus Christ ; no one proof my was subdued.

Swift.

being as yet brought forth, whereby it may To Mi'SCHIEF. v. a. (from the noun.]

clearly appear to be so in very deed. Hooker.

It cannot be that our knowledge should be To hurt; to harm ; to injure.

other than an heap of misconception and error. If the greatest inward heat be not sweetened

Glanville. by meekness, or not governed by prudence, can Great errors and dangers result out of a niso it bring to our souls any benefit? rather it mise conception of the names of things. Harvey. cbiefs them.

Spratt. It will be a great satisfaction to see those pieces Mi'SCHIEFMAKER. n. s. [from mischief of most ancient history, which have been chiefly

and make.] One who causes mischief. preserved in scripture, confirmed anew, and MISCHIEF: MAKING, adj. Causing harm.

freed from those misconceptions or misrepresere Come not thou with miscbief-making beauty,

tations which made them sit uneasy upon the To interpose between us, look not on him.

spirits even of the best men.

Burnet. Rowe. TO MISCONCE'IVE. v. a. (mis and conMI'SCHIEVOUS. adj. [from mischief.] ceive.) To misjudge; to have a false 3. Harmful; hurtful; destructive; noxi. notion of. ous; pernicious; injurious ; wicked :

:

Ne let false whispers, breeding hidden fears, used both of persons and things.

Break gentle sleep with misconceived doubt. This false, wily, doubling disposition is into

Spenser. lerably miscbievous to society.

Soutb.

Our endeavour is not so much to overthrow I'm but a half-strain'd villain yet;

them with whom we contend, as to yield them But mongrel mischievous.

Drydent.

just and reasonable causes of those things, which, He had corrupted or deluded most of his ser-,

for want of, due consideration heretofore, they vants, telling them that their master was run

misconceived.

Hocker. mad; that he had disinherited his heir, and was

Misconceived Joan of Arc hath been going to settle his estate upon a parish-boy;

A virgin from her tender infancy. Siaksp. that if he did not look after sheir master he Misco’NDUCT. n. s. (mis and conduct.)

would do some very mischievous thing. Arbuth. Ill behaviour ; ill management. 2. Spiteful ; malicious. Ainsworth.

They are industriously proclaimed and aggrae

.

vated by such as are guilty or innocent of the 1. A vile wretch. same slips or misconducts in their own behaviour.

Now by Apollo, king,

Addison. Thou swear'st thy gods in vain,
It highly concerned them to reflect, how great - vassal! miscreant !

Staks. obligation both the memory of their past mis

* If extraordinary lenity proves ineffectual, those Maduct, and their present advantages, laid on

miscreants ought to be made sensible that our them, to walk with care and circumspection. constitution is armed with force. Addison.

Rogers To MISCONDU’CT. V. a. [mis and conduct.j MiscREATE. } adj. (mis and created.]

MISCREA'TED.) To manage amiss ; to carry on wrong.

Formed unnaturally MISCONJE'CTURE. n. s. (mis and conjece

or illegitimately; made as by a blunder

of nature. ture.) A wrong guess.

Then made he head against his enemies, I hope they will plausibly receive our attempts,

And Ymner slew or Logris miscreate F. Queen. or candidly correct our misconjectures. Brown.

Eftsoons he took that miscreated fair, To MICONJE'CTURE. v.a. [mnis and con

And that false other sprite, on whom he spread jecture.) To guess wrong,

A seeming body of the subrile air. Spenser. MISCONSTRU'CTION. 1.s. (mis and con

God forbid, my lord, struction.) Wrong interpretation of

That you should fashion, wrest, or bow your words or things.

reading; It pleas'd the king his master very lately

With opening titles misereate, whose right

Suits not in native colours with the truth. Shak. To su ke at me upon his misconstruction, When he conjunct, and flatt’ring his displeasure, MISDE'ED. n. s. (mis and deed.] Evil acTript me behind.

Sbakspeare. tion. Others conceive the literal acceptation to be a

O God, miscorsiruction of the symbolical expression. If thou wilt be aveng'd on my misdeeds,

Browni

Yet execute thy wrath on me alone. Shaksp. Those words were very weakly inserted where

Evils, which our own misdeeds have wrought. they are so liable to misconstruction. Stilling fleet.

Milton. To Misco'XSTRUE. V. a. (mis and con- Chas'd from a throne, abandon'd, and exild stru.] To interpret wrong.

For foul misdeeds were punishments too mild. That which by right exposition buildeth up

Dryden. christian faith, being misconstrued breedeth er

To MISDE'EM. v.a. [mis and deem.] To ror; between true and false construction the judge ill of; to mistake. difference reason must shew.

Hooker. All unweeting an enchanter bad We would have had you heard

His sense abus’d, and made him to misdeem The manner and the purpose of his treasons ; My loyalty, not such as it did seem. F. Queen. That you might well have signified the same Besides, were we unchangeable in will, Unto the citizens, who, haply, may

And of a wit that nothing could misdeem; Miscgastrue us in him.

Sbakspeare.

Equal to God, whose wisdom shineth still Many of the unbelieving Israelites would have And never errs, we might ourselves esteem. miscensirued this story of mankind. Raleigh.

Davies. Do not, great sir, misconstrue his intent, TO MISDEME'An. v.a. (misand demean.) Nor call rebellion what was prudent care,

To behave ill. To guard himself by necessary war. Dryden.

From frailty A virtuous emperor was much africted to find his actions misconstrued and defam'd by a party,

And want of wisdom, you, that best should

teach us,
Addison.
Have misdemean'd yourself.

Sbaksp. MisCONTINUANCE. n. s. (mis and continuance.) Cessation; intermission.

MISDEME'ANOR. n. s. (mis and demean.) To MisCO'UNSEL. v. a. (mis and counsel.]

Offence ; ill behaviour ; something less To advise wrong.)

than an atrocious crime. Every thing that is begun with reason

The house of commons have only power to Will come by ready means unto his end,

censure the members of their own house, in But things miscounselled must needs miswend. point of election, or misdemeanors in or towards

Spenser.
that house.

Bacon.

It is no real disgrace to the church merely to TO Miscoʻunt. v.a. (mescounter Fr. mis

lose her privileges, but to forfeit them by her and count.] To reckon wrong.

fault or misdemeanor.

South. MI'SCREANCE. n. s. [from mescreance These could never have touched the head, or MI'SCREANCY.)! or mescroiance, Fr.) stopped the source of these unhappy misdemeaUnbelief; false faith ; adherence to a

nors, for which the punishinent was sent.

Woodward. false religion.

Misde VO'TION. n. s. [onis and devotion.] If thou wilt renounce thy miscreance, And my true liegeman yield thyselt for ay,

Mistaken piety. Life will I grant thee for thy valiance. Spens.

A place, where misdevotion frames The more usual causes of deprivation are

A thousand prayers to saints, whose very names murther, man-slaughter, heresy, miscreancy,

The church knew not, heav'n knows not yet. atheism, simony.

Dunne. Aylite. MI'SCREANT. n. s. (mescreant, Fr.)

Misdi'et. n. s. (mis and diet.] Improper

food. 1. One that holds a false faith; one who believes in false gods.

A dropsy through his flesh did flow,

Which by misdiet daily greater grew. F. Queen. Their prophets justly condemned them as an adultercus seed, and a wicked generation of mise To MisDISTINGUISH. v.a. (mis ani discreants, which had forsaken the living God. tinguish.) To make wrong distinctions.

Hooker. If we imagine a difference where there is none,