mischief

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Playful behaviour that causes small trouble or annoyance, especially by children.

   The twins were always getting into mischief at school.

2. 2
   noun

   Harm or damage caused on purpose.

   The new law aims to prevent criminal mischief.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Mischief came into English in the late Middle Ages from Old French meschever, “come to an unfortunate end,” which was based on chef, “head.” Its early English meanings were “misfortune” and “distress.”

From Middle English myschef, meschef, meschief, mischef, from Old French meschief, from meschever (“to bring to grief”), from mes- (“badly”) + chever (“happen; come to a head”), from Vulgar Latin *capare, from Latin caput (“head”).

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External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary