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misconstruev.Origin: Formed within English, by derivation. Etymons: mis- prefix1, construe v. Etymology: < mis- prefix1 + construe v.See discussion of form and pronunciation history s.v. construe v. 1. the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > misinterpretation > misinterpret [verb (transitive)] α. a1425 (c1385) G. Chaucer (1987) i. 346 Ful ofte thi lady wol it mysconstruwe [v.r. misconstrewe], And deme it harm. 1569 T. More's Hist. Richard III in R. Grafton ii. 791 But these words king Edward made to be misconstrued, and enterpreted, that Burdet ment the Crowne of the realme. 1587 Sir P. Sidney & A. Golding tr. P. de Mornay xi. 181 Thou misconstrewest al the good which the bountifull prouidence of God doth vnto thee. a1616 W. Shakespeare (1623) v. iii. 83 Alas, thou hast misconstrued euery thing. View more context for this quotation a1656 Bp. J. Hall (1660) ii. 241 I beseech you..misconstrue me not. 1675 T. Otway iv. iii. 43 Alas dear friend misconstrue not my Zeal. 1705 E. Ward ii. 34 Thus his most vertuous Deeds misconstru'd were By those he cherish'd with his Princely Care. 1791 A. Radcliffe II. viii. 35 I know that young ladies are apt to misconstrue the unmeaning gallantry of fashionable manners. 1849 T. B. Macaulay I. v. 583 Words, it was said, may easily be misunderstood by an honest man. They may easily be misconstrued by a knave. 1861 C. Dickens 8 July (1997) IX. 436 I fear you may sometimes have misconstrued my silence. 1936 M. Mitchell ii. ix. 186 It was annoying the way Melly always misconstrued her motives. 1997 Jan.–Feb. 37 Certain interpretations of quantum mechanics..are being misconstrued so as to imply that only thoughts are real. β. 1533 T. More 85 They..of theyr owne fauour to them selfe, mysse constre [ Wks. (1557) 869/2 mysse construe] the good mannys mynde.1579 S. Gosson To Rdr. sig. ☞7 His Schollers were woont, how plaine soeuer he spake, to misconster him.1600 W. Shakespeare ii. ii. 180 Least through thy wild behauiour I be misconstred in the place I goe to. View more context for this quotation1640 H. Glapthorne i. sig. Biv You misconster The intention of my lookes, I am not angry Though much distemper'd.1678 59 So as to make them mis-conster all our endeavours.1869 J. C. Atkinson Misconster, corr[uption] of misconstrue.1987 38 299 Othello, convinced that he is simply registering the naked..truth, instead reads what Iago has written, and thus misconsters all.the mind > mental capacity > intelligibility > misinterpretation > misinterpret [verb (intransitive)] 1581 B. Rich sig. S.jv I confesse I haue trespassed in misconsteryng of your lines. 1588 R. Greene sig. A4v He then began to..misconstrue [1607 misconsture]of their too priuate familiaritie. c1592 sig. C3 Mariana, do not misconster of me: I do not mistrust thee. 1646 E. Davies 21 Such a gift in misconstruing of Mysteries. 1609 F. Greville iv. ii. sig. F2 Enuy tooke hold of worth, doubt did misconster. 1612 Bp. J. Hall I. O.T. iv. 303 Then, hee aggrauates, and misconstrues. 1813 H. Cowley iii. 78 Don't misconstrue, Sir. 1843 C. J. Lever xlviii. 308 It is so easy when people have no peculiar reasons to vindicate another—to misconstrue—perhaps condemn. 1661 O. Felltham (rev. ed.) 267 What is done in sincerity is misconstrued to craft, neglect, or some other sinister end. 1749 H. Fielding II. v. iii. 128 He was not yet free from Doubt of misconstruing Compassion, or, at best, Esteem, into a warmer Regard. View more context for this quotation 1801 T. Jefferson 498 Declarations by myself..have..been quoted & misconstrued into assurances that the tenure of offices was to be undisturbed. 1848 A. Brontë III. xiii. 262 I would sooner die than ask him, lest he should misconstrue into covetousness my desire to know. 1891 Dec. 427 Her persistent disclaimer of the honor of belonging to the older branch of the Greshams had been misconstrued into a wish to exalt herself. 1987 4 Oct. (Colour Suppl.) 81/2 Our desire to please and to help people to enjoy their meals by careful planning, is misconstrued as an attempt to dictate. 1995 K. O'Riordan 38 His shyness often being misconstrued as hubris. 1813 W. Scott iv. 184 A kindly smile..So kind, that, from its harmless glee, The wretch misconstrued villany. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < v.a1425 |