misdirectedadj.
/ˌmɪsdʌɪˈrɛktᵻd/, /ˌmɪsdᵻˈrɛktᵻd/, U.S. /ˌmɪsdəˈrɛktəd/ Directed towards bad or evil ends; improperly or inappropriately applied; misguided; sent to a wrong destination.
ΘΚΠ
the world > movement > transference > sending > [adjective] > sent to wrong place or person
misdirected1650
missent1727
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > incorrect information > [adjective] > wrongly directed
misgoverneda1631
misdirected1650
1650 Blow at Root 45 These (however perhaps they doe not thinke it) will be found to be a misdirected party of Truths friends.
1767 W. Harte Amaranth 112 Can I revoke my mis-directed pow'r?
1790 T. Burgess Divinity of Christ 17 The vanity of misdirected reason.
1837 P. F. Tytler Hist. Scotl. VI. ii. 127 In a spirit of erroneous and misdirected zeal.
1886 R. Kipling Departm. Ditties (1888) 48 It was a misdirected wire, Her husband was at Shaitanpore.
1904 J. Conrad Nostromo iii. x. 423 The vague consciousness of a misdirected life given up to impulses, whose memory left a bitter taste in his mouth.
1937 Discovery Feb. 46 Few things are more distressing than misdirected charity.
1991 Face Feb. 17/3 Its unlikely but credible storyline of a man answering a misdirected call in a pay-phone.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1650