mischancen.
/ˌmɪsˈtʃɑːns/, /ˌmɪsˈtʃans/, U.S. /ˌmɪsˈtʃæns/, /ˌmɪʃˈtʃæns/ 1. Bad luck, ill fortune. In early use often with stronger sense: †disaster, calamity, evil (obsolete). Also personified.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > [noun] > misfortune or ill-luck
un-i-limpOE
unlimpc1175
mishap?c1225
unhap?c1225
mishappeningc1230
ames-ace?a1300
misadventure?a1300
ill hailc1300
misauntera1325
untiminga1325
miscasec1325
mischancec1325
misfall1340
misfarea1387
casec1390
infortunea1393
mishapping?a1400
unchancea1400
disadventurea1413
mischieving1432
infortuny?a1439
encumbermentc1440
misfortune1441
evil hail?c1450
malfortunea1470
unhappiness1470
maleurtee?1473
malheur?1473
evil health1477
unfortune1483
wanfortunea1500
disfortune1509
wanhap1513
ill, evil ch(i)eving?1518
mislucka1530
ill luck1548
unfortunacy?c1550
evilfare1556
unluck1556
hard luck1567
bad luck1575
miscasualty1588
disgrace1590
wanchance1599
disventure1612
misaccident1620
miscarriagec1625
hard lines1722
mishanter1754
malefit1755
miscanter1781
hard cheese1854
hard cheddar1893
schlimazel1911
tough luck1912
snake eyes1918
catch-arse1970
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 2902 Ouer homber he fley anon to wite him fram meschance [a1400 Trin. Cambr. mescheaunce].
?c1335 in W. Heuser Kildare-Gedichte (1904) 163 Þos kniȝtis preid al Þat meschans most ham fal, Ȝif scape hi ssold þer midde.
c1385 G. Chaucer Knight's Tale 2009 Amyddes of the temple sat meschaunce [v.r. myschaunce] With disconfort and sory contenaunce.
c1400 (a1376) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Trin. Cambr. R.3.14) (1960) A. ix. 51 Crist..saue þe fro myschaunce [c1400 C text meschaunce], And ȝiue þe grace on þis erþe.
a1500 Partenay (Trin. Cambr.) 5642 Anon it happned to hym gret miscaunce.
a1616 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 1 (1623) i. i. 89 Lords view these Letters, full of bad mischance . View more context for this quotation
1622 F. Bacon Hist. Raigne Henry VII 181 They..let downe with Cords..seuerall Messengers (that if one came to mischance, another might passe on).
1748 T. Gray Ode in R. Dodsley Coll. Poems II. 266 Brush'd by the hand of rough mischance.
1832 Ld. Tennyson Lady of Shalott iv, in Poems (new ed.) 17 Beholding all his own mischance, Mute, with glassy countenance.
1855 J. L. Motley Rise Dutch Republic (1866) ii. iii. 191 If mischance should follow the neglect of this warning.
1900 Contemp. Rev. July 119 Sheltered..from the sneaping winds of ill-usage or mischance.
1994 E. McNamee Resurrection Man (1998) xxi. 195 Ryan found himself hoping that Coppinger would not die like that, in the position of a man caught unawares, prone to mischance.
2. An instance of this; a particular piece of bad luck, a stroke of misfortune; a mishap, an unlucky accident; spec. †an accidental injury or mutilation (obsolete). In early use also: †a state of unhappiness, an evil fate (obsolete).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > [noun] > misfortune or ill-luck > an evil fate
mischancec1325
tragedya1522
wanluck1571
misfate1614
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > [noun] > misfortune or ill-luck > instance of misfortune or ill-luck > a mishap or unlucky accident
mistideOE
unhapc1230
chancea1300
mischancec1325
mishapa1387
accident?1490
casualtya1513
shrewd turn1565
casuality1574
misaccident1620
mishanter1754
contretemps1809
bust-up1841
pratfall1941
snafu1943
the world > health and disease > ill health > injury > [noun] > other injuries
mischance1587
wringing1611
moonblow1851
industrial injury1855
beat elbow1905
pole-wound1908
boo-boo1932
neurapraxia1942
neurotmesis1942
owie1967
c1325 (c1300) Chron. Robert of Gloucester (Calig.) 10626 (MED) Þe king him ȝef ten þousend marc vor is meschaunce.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 1182 (MED) In takinning als o þi penance þe sal be send a lang meschance [a1400 Trin. Cambr. mischaunce].
c1400 (?a1387) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Huntington HM 137) (1873) C. xx. 229 Mynne ȝe nat, riche men to which a meschaunce Þat dives deyed?
a1450 (?a1390) J. Mirk Instr. Parish Priests (Claud.) (1974) 1899 Fowrty dayes for þat myschawnce Þow schalt be in penaunce.
1577 W. Fleetwood Let. 30 July in H. Ellis Orig. Lett. Eng. Hist. (1827) 2nd Ser. III. 56 Upon Monday here fell a mischaunce betwene two of my Lo. Chamberleyns men, and the on of them was killed in Powles churche yarde.
1587 Sir P. Sidney & A. Golding tr. P. de Mornay Trewnesse Christian Relig. i. 7 When a man loseth an eye, an arme, or a legge; wee..do commonly say, it is a mischaunce.
1601 Lady Hoby Diary 11 Dec. (1930) 193 In ridinge, his horse fell and brake his legge: which thinge, although the world account but a mischance, yet godes Iudgmentes is to be obsarved.
1685 A. Wood Life & Times (1894) III. 155 He had got a mischance by gunpowder.
1759 S. Johnson Idler 5 May 137 I had secured it [sc. my book] against mischances by lodging two transcripts in different places.
1839 C. Dickens Nicholas Nickleby xxiv. 232 First the right sandal came down, and then the left, and these mischances being repaired [etc.].
1863 N. Hawthorne Our Old Home I. 207 The vicissitudes and mischances of sublunary affairs.
1909 L. M. Montgomery Anne of Avonlea xxi. 243 Miss Lavendar's prince hasn't come yet. Perhaps some fatal mischance has befallen him.
1991 N. Bawden Woman of my Age (BNC) 121 A shabby mischance had..knocked down the precarious walls of my prison.
Phrases
P1. † a. In exclamations and imprecations, esp. with mischance!: ‘confound it!’ Also how mischance——?: ‘how the devil——?’ Obsolete.† b. to fare (also go, come) to mischance: to meet a violent end. to cast (a thing) to mischance: to dispense with gladly. to chase (a person) to mischance: to pursue for retribution. to bring (also put, etc.) (a person) to mischance: to inflict harm upon. to give (a person) mischance: to cause injury to or overpower with violence. to bid (a person) mischance: to wish bad luck. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > malediction > oaths > [interjection] > oaths other than religious or obscene
loOE
spi?c1225
how mischance——?c1330
with mischance!c1330
by my hoodc1374
by my sheath1532
by the mouse-foot1550
what the (also a) goodyear1570
bread and salt1575
by Jove1575
in (good) truly1576
by these hilts1598
by the Lord Harry1693
by the pody cody1693
by jingo!1694
splutter1707
by jing!1786
I snore1790
declare1811
by the hokey1825
shiver my timbers1834
by the (great) horn spoon1842
upon my Sam1879
for goodness' sake1885
yerra1892
for the love of Mike1896
by the hokey fiddle1922
knickers1971
c1330 (?c1300) Guy of Warwick (Auch.) 2533 Ȝif ich Gij mete may, Wiþ meschaunce y schal him gret.
c1390 G. Chaucer Manciple's Tale 11 Is that a cook of Londoun, with meschaunce?
c1390 G. Chaucer Man of Law's Tale 602 God yeue hym meschaunce.
a1425 (c1385) G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde (1987) iv. 1362 Or how, meschaunce, sholde I dwelle there?
a1425 (?a1400) G. Chaucer Romaunt Rose (Hunterian) 7579 What? welcome with myschaunce now!
c1475 Advice to Lovers in J. O. Halliwell Select. Minor Poems J. Lydgate (1840) 34 (MED) She..hir husband disceyvethe, allas! meschaunce!
a1529 J. Skelton Magnyfycence (?1530) sig. Biii God gyue you a very myschaunce.
?1536 Jack Upland in W. W. Skeat Chaucerian & Other Pieces (1897) 203 Than so shulde they be better than Christ himselfe, with miscaunce!
1594 (a1555) D. Lindsay Hist. Squyer Meldrum l. 506, in Wks. (1931) I. 159 Bot Talbartis Hors, with ane mischance, He outterit, and to ryn was laith.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > language > malediction > [verb (transitive)]
waryc725
accurselOE
forcurse1154
cursec1175
for-waryc1175
bana1275
ashend1297
to bid (something) misadventurec1330
shrew1338
beshrew1377
maledighta1400
to fare (also go, come) to mischancec1400
defyc1430
destinya1450
condemn1489
detest1533
adjure1539
beshrompa1549
widdle1552
becurse1570
malison1588
consecrate1589
exaugurate1600
execrate1612
imprecate1616
blasta1634
damna1640
vote1644
to swear at ——1680
devote1749
maledict1780
comminate1801
bless1814
peste1824
cuss1863
bedamn1875
mugger1951
c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xiii. 325 Blame men bihynde her bakke and bydden hem meschaunce.
a1425 (c1385) G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde (1987) ii. 222 Cast youre widewes habit to mischaunce.
a1425 (c1385) G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde (1987) ii. v. 359 Thy swevenes..Drif out, and lat hem faren to meschaunce.
c1430 (c1386) G. Chaucer Legend Good Women 333 Envye—I preye to God yeve hire myschaunce!
a1450 Generides (Pierpont Morgan) (1865) 4566 (MED) With swerd and with launce Many oon he gafe myschaunce.
a1450 (a1338) R. Mannyng Chron. (Lamb.) (1887) i. 7282 (MED) Þey cald hym traitour wyþ manace, & to meschaunce þey scholde hym chace.
?1475 Moses & Law (1974) 84 Now shewe your power, you godes mighty, soe that these caytiffes I may destroye, havinge of them full victorye, and them brought to mischance.
1488 (c1478) Hary Actis & Deidis Schir William Wallace (Adv.) (1968–9) vi. l. 282 How he had put his pepill to myschance.
a1500 (a1475) G. Ashby Dicta Philosophorum 47 in Poems (1899) 44 Otherwise your werkys gone to mischanche.
?1577 F. T. Debate Pride & Lowlines sig. Bviiv He bringeth many to mischance.
1622 F. Bacon Hist. Raigne Henry VII 181 They..let downe with Cords..seuerall Messengers (that if one came to mischance, another might passe on).
c. [After Anglo-Norman par mescheaunce by accident (see F. M. Nichols Britton I. 113), unfortunately, Old French par mescheance unluckily (c1170).] by mischance: by an unlucky accident, by misfortune.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > unfortunately [phrase] > by mischance
at misadventure?a1400
by misadventure?a1400
by mischance1535
1535 Act 27 Hen. VIII c. 6 If it shall happen any of the said mares by mischaunce or casualte for to die.
c1540 J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece Hyst. & Cron. Scotl. (1821) I. 49 To prevene all calamite, gif ony war approcheand be mischance of fortoun.
1662 J. Graunt Nat. & Polit. Observ. Bills Mortality viii. 48 Slain in Wars, killed by mischance, drowned at Sea.
1673 J. Milton On Death Fair Infant vii, in Poems (new ed.) 19 Wert thou some Starr which from the ruin'd roofe Of shak't Olympus by mischance didst fall.
1848 W. M. Thackeray Vanity Fair xliv. 398 When they met by mischance, he made sarcastic bows or remarks to the child.
1899 J. London in Overland Monthly July 59/2 Edwin Bentham was a boy, thrust by mischance into a man's body.
1975 R. Pitter End of Drought 45 Wretched Worms..have got In by mischance, and poison all the pot.
1990 D. Dunn Andromache ii. ii. 21 I've come back once again, not by mischance But as my last resort.
ΚΠ
1611 R. Cotgrave Dict. French & Eng. Tongues at Malheur Mischances neuer come single.
1652 Hermes Bird lxii, in E. Ashmole Theatrum Chem. Brit. 225 A Chyldys Byrde, and a Chorlys Wyfe, Hath ofte sythys sorow and mischaunce.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2002; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
mischancev.
/ˌmɪsˈtʃɑːns/, /ˌmɪsˈtʃans/, U.S. /ˌmɪsˈtʃæns/, /ˌmɪʃˈtʃæns/ Now rare and archaic.† 1. transitive (in passive). To cause to be unfortunate; to bring bad luck to (a person). Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > happen unfortunately [verb (intransitive)] > suffer misfortune or a mishap
mishappenc1230
mishapc1385
mistidec1390
spill1390
misbetide?a1400
misfalla1400
mistime1402
misfortune?a1425
misbefallc1450
miscapea1535
mischancea1542
to come home by unhappinessc1555
mislucka1617
buy1825
pratfall1940
schlimazel1963
a1542 T. Wyatt Coll. Poems (1969) 73 Sephame said true that my natiuitie Mischaunced was with the ruler of the May.
a1578 R. Lindsay Hist. & Cron. Scotl. (1728) 11 He burnt the more for anger within himself, that he was so mischanced in this behalf.
c1595 Countess of Pembroke Psalme lxxxix. 62 in Coll. Wks. (1998) II. 133 All that him hate by me shall be mischaunced.
2. intransitive. To happen unfortunately.In quot. a1578 it is unclear whether ‘him’ is intended as a direct or indirect object.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > happen unfortunately [verb (intransitive)]
mistideOE
misfall1340
mishapc1385
mishappenc1440
misfortune1466
mischance1552
misbefall1591
the world > action or operation > failure or lack of success > fail or be unsuccessful [verb (intransitive)] > go wrong
mistimeOE
to come evil to pass1481
tread awry1524
mischance1552
to go wrong1592
pall1604
to go haywire1929
snafu1943
1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum Mischauncen, male euenire.
a1578 R. Lindsay Hist. & Cron. Scotl. (1899) I. 40 Beliueing no falshoode to mischance him efterwart in respect of his hartlie messaige that come to him fre the maistratis.
1591 E. Spenser Prosopopoia in Complaints 64 And still I hoped to be up advaunced,..but still it hath mischaunced.
1611 J. Florio Queen Anna's New World of Words at Misuenire To mischance or miscom.
1809 E. S. Barrett Setting Sun I. 68 It so mischanc'd, A horde barbarian,..Landing, spread death wherever they advanc'd.
1863 Harper's Mag. Sept. 495/2 [Shakespeare] gives us what has mischanced, and he provokes us to speculations of what may chance in the future.
1908 J. Barlow Mockers 59 Ere he felt the driven spray Of the white fall, mischanced a chink In rifted clouds let moonlight blink.
3. intransitive. To have the bad fortune (to do something).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > adversity > calamity or misfortune > happen unfortunately [verb (intransitive)] > suffer misfortune or a mishap > have the misfortune to do something
mishapa1387
misfortune1533
mischance1600
1600 E. Fairfax tr. T. Tasso Godfrey of Bulloigne xix. xcviii. 356 On an ambush I mischanst to light Of cruell men.
1794 G. Colman Mountaineers i. i. 4 If my head mischances to run itself in the dark against the feelings of another, my heart bids me go thro' fire and water, for his service.
1960 J. Barth Sot-weed Factor iii. x. 624 This Harry Russecks is the..braggingest bully ye'll e'er mischance to meet.
Derivatives
misˈchancing n.
ΚΠ
1611 J. Florio Queen Anna's New World of Words at Misueniménto A mischancing.
1929 W. Faulkner Sartoris v. 357 A period of history which had seen brothers and husband slain in the same useless mischancing of human affairs.
1998 Nation (Nexis) 2 Mar. 30 Accident is a subject in the novel: a burning house, a possible drowning, a cerebral mischancing.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.c1325
v.a1542