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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Mischef(e, -cheif(f, n. Also: mys- and -cheff(e, -cheife, -cheiffe, -cheyf(f, -chief(e, -chieff, -cheef(e, -chif; mis(s)heif(e, -eif(f, mishief; mescheif, meischeif; mis-, myscheve, -chewe, -cheive. Plur. -chef(f)is, -cheif(f)is, etc.; -chevis, -ys, -cheives. [ME. me(s)chef (c 1330), -chief (14–15th c.), -chyef (1470–85), ME. and e.m.E. mis-, myschef(e (c 1325), -chief(e (15th c.), ME. meschev (a 1350), ME. and e.m.E. mischiue (Cursor M.), -cheve, -chieve, plur. ME. mescheuys (a 1350), ME. and e.m.E. misc(h)eves, -is (c 1380), -chieves, myschiefs (1411), OF. meschief, meschef, mechef (F. méchef).]

1. Evil plight or condition; misfortune, trouble, distress, misery, hardship; also, military disadvantage or loss.Also plur. in same sense.At mischief, in evil plight, in distress; at a military disadvantage, ‘at bay’. (To bring, cast, put, etc.) to (also into) mischief, to evil plight, distress, hardship, difficulties, ruin.(1) 1375 Barb. ii. 45.
Tharfor sa hard myscheiff him fell Ib. xii. 401 (E).
The folk that was In the castell … knew the myscheiff all Ib. xx. 77.
Throuch his cald lying Quhen in his gret myscheiff wes he Ib. i. 310. a1400 Leg. S. vii. 674. ?1438 Alex. i. 1299.
Fra dede, myschif and fra presone Ib. 1591.
The myscheif thair sa mekill was That thame behuffit to leif the plais Ib. 1609.
The myscheif was heuy And richt cruell to athir party Ib. ii. 3464.
To talk with ȝow me sall be leif, Quhidder God sendis cheif or myscheif! Ib. 6003, 9690. c1420 Wynt. viii. 4297.
For myscheyff [v.rr. mischeif, myscheiff] may noucht lest allways c1420 Ratis R. 108.
Gret mischef folowis ill vynyng Ib. 1587. 1456 Hay I. 7/27. Ib. 297/4. a1499 Contempl. Sinn. 1247. a1500 Lanc. 2679. a1500 Seven S. 499. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 234. Id. lxix. 19. 1513 Doug. iv. Prol. 153.
Thou sekis mercy and tharof myscheif makkis Ib. viii. Prol. 33.
To mak hir maikles of hir man at myster myscheif is Ib. xiii. i. 25. a1570-86 Maitl. F. clxxviii. 31. a1585 Maitl. Q. lxii. 154. 1567 G. Ball. 32.
Think on hell, the lang mischeif 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. 314.
Is it possible that it [sc. this country] can be heavier ladened with mischief … nor it is now? a1605 Montg. Misc. P. iii. 54.
Hir mirrines with missheif ay is mixtplur. 1580-92 James VI Lusus Reg. 39.
Death he must not haist, my mischeifis uoulde he mende(b) 1513 Doug. xiii. ii. 46.
My son … Quham throu samony laubouris of myscheve I careit haue 1535 Stewart 33298.
Thi hart … wald brek … For to heir tell thair murning and mischewe(2) 1375 Barb. iv. 159 (E).
At sik myscheiff … War thai with in Ib. xix. 77 (E).
Quhar-to pres ye? To se at myscheiff sic a knycht Ib. xx. 494 (C).
At sa gret myschef wes he, That he come nocht to the iournee Ib. x. 105 (E). Ib. xi. 604 (E). ?1438 Alex. i. 2187.
Thair menȝe than sa stoutly was At outragious mischeif fechtand Ib. 2614.
Thair na radnes micht thame leid, … to fle the preis Quhill thair lord at myscheif was Ib. 2730. c1420 Wynt. viii. 4284.
At swa gret myscheffe than war thay [sc. the Scots under the English domination] Ib. 5411. a1500 Lanc. 3361. 1513 Doug. xi. xiii. 75.
Camylla hym at myscheif hes on set Ib. xii. x. 7.
At gret myscheif the Latynys to effeir 1567 G. Ball. 206.
Of lait I saw thir lymmaris stand Lyke mad men at mischeifplur. 1513 Doug. x. iii. 5.
Eneas barnage, at myschefis huge Thus ombeset(3) c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 2690.
Sche … with ane suddane downe-fall Tham castis in-to mischeif all 14.. Burgh Laws c. 89 (A).
Gif he be put to sic a myschef that hym behuffis to sell his heretagis Ib. c. 104 (A).
Al thir for nemmyt thingis … & he put to mischeff or falt … ma be salde c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 2256.
The quhilk he thocht to put to sic mischeif That all his kin suld wounder on his warkis c1475 Wall. ii. 200.
In presoune heir me worthis to myscheyff 1531 Bell. Boece II. 101.
Throw quhilk the realme was put to gret mischeif 1567 Sat. P. iv. 141.
Deianira hir husband Hercules … Brocht to mischeif for all his vassalage

b. A particular instance of misfortune; a misfortune, mishap, calamity, disaster; (a person's) ruin or downfall. Also plur.Also to a misfortune or calamity, to (also in) one's ruin, undoing or downfall.(1) 1375 Barb. iii. 254.
Na let his hart be wencusyt all, For na myscheiff that euir may fall Ib. xix. 71 (E).
The pepill ferly fast gan thring, Him and his myscheyff for to se a1400 Leg. S. xxvi. 93.
He had gret dule of that myschefe c1400 Troy-bk. ii. 1775. ?1438 Alex. i. 937.
The mischeif was great and cruell Of Sampsoun Ib. 2751.
For thay haue preuit weill to-day And ar assemblit for na mischeif Ib. 2453. c1420 Wynt. viii. 4301.
Myscheff [C. myscheyf] a1500 Henr. Fab. 651. Id. Test. Cress. 455. Id. III. 164/78. c1475 Wall. v. 217.
Be sic myscheiff giff his men mycht be lost c1490 Porteous Noblenes 181.
The mischeif & fall awysis & consulis a man c1500-c1512 Dunb. Asl. MS. II. 94/46.
But sudand deid or gret mescheif 1513 Doug. ii. iv. 96.
We fey pepill … for myscheif was glaid Ib. iv. Prol. 83.
Quhen his lufe saw this myscheif, atanys Out our the wall scho lap Ib. x. i. 31.
Quhen the fers burgh of Cartage … Ane huge myscheif and gret qualm send sall Ib. i. xi. 37, Ib. ii. x. 51. 1522 Douglas Corr. 86.
Ȝon ȝoung wytles fwyll has runnyn apoun his avne myscheyf be continewall persuasioune of wyly subtile men 1547 Corr. M. Lorraine 186.
Swa I to remane as ane plege quhilk war to me ane myscheif and dishonour 1549 Compl. 58/13. a1570-86 Maitl. F. lxxxv. 28. a1578 Pitsc. I. 21/23.
Wuld God I micht sie ane miserabill mischeiffe to befall thame beith Ib. 69/3.
The infortunat chance … that mischeif followis wpoun mischeif Ib. 15/14. a1605 Montg. Flyt. 370.
Thow art markit for a meischeif Foule vnworthie worme! 1622-6 Bisset II. 222/10.
Because oftymes men feirand mischeif doisleif there schipisplur. (a) c1420 Wynt. viii. 4987.
Efftyr the gret myscheffis [W. mischeiffis] twa, Duplyne and Halidowne war tha Ib. 4991.
Bot fortowne … Will noucht at anis myscheffis fall a1500 Seven S. 2085. 1560 Rolland Seven S. 2013.
Mony mischeifis … Hes oft occurit be nureis negligence c1650 Spalding II. 15.
The inconveniences and mischeiffis that will havellie fall vpone vs(b) 1513 Doug. xi. vii. 157.
O Turnus, hed and causar verraly Of thir myschevis gret in Italy Ib. vi. 119. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 168. c1552 Lynd. Mon. 479.
Quho in Christ fermely beleuis Sall be releuit frome all myscheuis(2) c1475 Wall. xi. 290.
To sum myscheiff it bryngis hym haistely 1531 Bell. Boece I. 18.
Oure … ennimes, hes devisit the same, be quent slichtis, to baith our mischeiffis c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2484.
Bot finallye that turnit to thare myscheif a1570-86 Maitl. F. xlvii. 79.
And it be kend in thy mischeif To be put fra the court as theif c1590 Fowler I. 146/8.
The snaire Quhairin I rin with ioy to my misheife(b) 1513 Doug. vi. v. 112.
I slaid our burd to my myscheve 15.. Clar. iii. 1684.
Or it sall turne thé to thy grit mischeive

2. Harm, injury, wrong, considered as the work of an agent. a1500 Lanc. 1355.
With gret myschef oppressit are the pure c1500-c1512 Dunb. xlix. 14.
Quha is a tratour or ane theif, Vpoun him selff turnis the mischeif 1513 Doug. xii. xiii. 47.
Sustenand thus al maner of myscheif, And euery stres, baith lesum and onleif a1568 Bann. MS. 36 a/84.
I hang on croce … Betuene twa theifis as I had done mischeif 1567 Sat. P. vii. 184.
And sould the nobill barronis of this land In hoilis lurk and this mischeif behauld? a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. cviii. 30.
Off slauchtir hirschip oppressioun and mischeiff a1578 Pitsc. I. 19/11. Ib. 21/25.
The mischeif, slawchtar, baneisment [etc.] … quhilk the chancellar thocht to haue done to ws 1592 Douglas Corr. 37.
Thay … may work further mischeif and waist the cuntrie 1622 Crim. Trials III. 512.
For committing of all maner of mischeif 1657 Balfour Ann. II. 378.
Leiseingmakers … quho by rantring and lying had done muche mischeiffe

b. An instance of this: an injury, wrong or hurt; a wrongful act, an evil deed.sing. 1456 Hay I. 63/32.
A secrete letter … of ane of his maist speciale frends quhilk had sum persaving of the mischef 1513 Doug. vii. vi. 104.
A mar myschefe forto controve and slycht Ib. ix. vii. 121. 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 3.
Immediately the secreit counsellis of the intendit mischeif began to brek out Ib. 41.
For in this woman ȝe mon imagine na singill mischief 1594 Misc. Spald. C. II. 125.
Ye said … that your maister vald nocht lat yow alone vnto sic tyme as he gat ane mischiefe out of your handis a1598 Ferg. Prov. MS. No. 297.
Better ane misheiff nor ane inconvenienceplur. (a) 1527 Douglas Corr. 121.
The attemptatis and myscheiffis committit be thaim 1529 Edinb. B. Rec. II. 7.
Makand it [sc. the town] to be fre to all syk mischeiffis 1540 Lynd. Sat. 2586.
Common trator theifis, Quha to leill laborers daylie dois mischeifis Ib. 3999.
Adew my bretheren common theifis That helpit me in my mischeifis a1585 Maitland Maitl. Q. iii. 5. 1582 Declar. Causis 7.
That the vther mischeifis intendit micht … proceid unespyit 1587 Acts III. 461/2. 1590 Crim. Trials I. ii. 208.
Thou … hes done all mischeifis that … wichcraft cane devyse 1630-1651 Gordon Geneal. Hist. 158.
Ther principall … instrument in executing of these mischieffs(b) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 1017.
Howbeit thow hes wrocht thir mischevis 1525–6 Douglas Corr. 108.
Aganis thare aulde … myschevis and rebelliounis 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 25.
And reprochit to thame be the doaris of thir mischevis a1568 Wedderburn Bann. MS. 279 b/80. 1657 Balfour Ann. I. 169.
How to intrape the author of all the mischeiues of the kingdome

c. In the imprecatory phrase with a mischeif, = with a vengeance, with a curse.Also e.m.E. (1538–). c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 150.
For to the teith he did him cleif, Lat him ly thair with ane mischeif

3. Wrongdoing, wickedness, generally. c1500-c1512 Dunb. Flyt. 74.
The fathir and moder of morthour and mischeif 1513 Doug. i. vi. 76.
Quhilk … For blynd cwatyce of gold throu his myscheif … Or he was war, reft Sycheus the lyfe Ib. iv. v. 3. 1559 Knox VI. 14.
Mother to all mischeefe 1560 Rolland Seven S. 3515. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 6/29.
The speciall rutis of all mischeif … pryde and auarice c1568 Lauder Minor P. ii. 2.
This warld is … Full of myscheif and all malure a1570-86 Arbuthnot Maitl. F. xxix. 184. a1578 Pitsc. I. 15/7. Ib. 138/20.
The heill ȝouth of Scotland began to rage in mischeiffe and lust 1596 Dalr. I. 161/8. a1605 Montg. Misc. P. xlvi. 36.
To work my ill With all mishief they may a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1468.
The mother of mischeif is na mair nor a midgewing

4. Strife, dissension, discord. 1561 Q. Kennedy Compend. Ressonyng (ed.) 171/18.
The speciall caus … of all kynd of variance in religioun and mischeif amangis Christiane men for the fayth a1578 Pitsc. I. 16/23.
Thair was na thing that scho haitit so meikill as ciuill weiris and dissentioun knawin that gret mischeiffe is gennerit among nobill men 1604 Elphinstone Mun. 197/2.
Sua that their is a greit mischeif of leit begun betux thame