mistake

mistake
I UK [mɪˈsteɪk] / US noun [countable]
Word forms "mistake":
singular mistake plural mistakes
***
Metaphor:
Making a mistake is like falling over, or like being clumsy and dropping things. She stumbled over the speech. ♦ You tripped up there: what were you thinking of? ♦ I fell flat on my face the last time I tried. ♦ She didn't put a foot wrong. ♦ I was completely wrong-footed. ♦ He fumbled for something useful to say. ♦ They made a clumsy attempt to improve the situation. ♦ It was a slip of the tongue/pen. ♦ I seem to have put my foot in it. ➡ confused
1)
a) something that you have not done correctly, or something you say or think that is not correct
make a mistake:

I won't make the same mistake again!

Don't worry: it's an easy mistake to make.

correct a mistake:

It's much easier to correct mistakes at an early stage.

admit a mistake:

I wish you'd admitted your mistake earlier.

b) something that you say or write in a way that is not correct

spelling/grammar mistakes

2) something you do that you later wish you had not done, because it causes a lot of problems
a big/terrible/serious mistake:

You're making a big mistake.

a costly/expensive mistake:

The wrong choice of computer could prove a costly mistake.

the biggest mistake of something:

Marrying him had been the biggest mistake of her life.

it would be a mistake to do something:

It would be a mistake to think that the trouble is over.

make the mistake of doing something:

I made the mistake of inviting Jennifer to the party.

•

Collocations:
Adjectives frequently used with mistake
▪  bad, big, careless, costly, deliberate, disastrous, dreadful, expensive, fatal, grave, serious, terrible, tragic

make no mistake (about it) — spoken used for emphasizing that you mean what you are saying

I'll go to the police next time – make no mistake about it.


II UK [mɪˈsteɪk] / US verb [transitive]
Word forms "mistake":
present tense I/you/we/they mistake he/she/it mistakes present participle mistaking past tense mistook UK [mɪˈstʊk] / US past participle mistaken UK [mɪˈsteɪkən] / US
**
to not understand something correctly

I'm afraid I mistook the nature of our relationship.

•
Phrasal verbs:

English dictionary. 2014.

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Synonyms:
, , , , , , , / (one for another), , , , , , , / , , , , , ,


Look at other dictionaries:

  • mistake — mis·take n 1: an unintentional error esp. in legal procedure or form that does not indicate bad faith and that commonly warrants excuse or relief by the court the court s power to revise a judgment because of fraud, mistake, or irregularity a… …   Law dictionary

  • Mistake — Mis*take (m[i^]s*t[=a]k ), v. t. [imp. & obs. p. p. {Mistook} (m[i^]s*t[oo^]k ); p. p. {Mistaken} (m[i^]s*t[=a]k n); p. pr. & vb. n. {Mistaking}.] [Pref. mis + take: cf. Icel. mistaka.] 1. To take or choose wrongly. [Obs. or R.] Shak. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • mistake# — mistake vb Mistake, confuse, confound are comparable when they mean to mix up things, typically by taking one thing for another. One mistakes one thing for another when by an error of perception or of thought or as a result of a predisposition or …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • mistake — [mi stāk′] vt. mistook, mistaken or Obs. mistook, mistaking [ME mistaken < ON mistaka, to take wrongly: see MIS 1 & TAKE] 1. to understand or perceive wrongly; interpret or judge incorrectly [mistake someone s motives] 2. to tak …   English World dictionary

  • Mistake — Mis*take (m[i^]s*t[=a]k ), n. 1. An apprehending wrongly; a misconception; a misunderstanding; a fault in opinion or judgment; an unintentional error of conduct. [1913 Webster] Infallibility is an absolute security of the understanding from all… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Mistake — Mis*take , v. i. To err in knowledge, perception, opinion, or judgment; to commit an unintentional error. [1913 Webster] Servants mistake, and sometimes occasion misunderstanding among friends. Swift. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • mistake — [n] error, misunderstanding aberration, blooper*, blunder, boo boo*, bungle, confusion, delusion, erratum, false move, false step, fault, faux pas, flub*, fluff*, gaffe, illusion, inaccuracy, inadvertence, lapse, misapplication, misapprehension,… …   New thesaurus

  • mistake — ► NOUN 1) a thing that is incorrect. 2) an error of judgement. ► VERB (past mistook; past part. mistaken) 1) be wrong about. 2) (mistake for) confuse (someone or something) with …   English terms dictionary

  • mistake — mis|take1 W2S2 [mıˈsteık] n 1.) something that has been done in the wrong way, or an opinion or statement that is incorrect →↑error mistake in ▪ We may have made a mistake in our calculations. ▪ a mistake in the law ▪ Ivan s work is always full… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • MISTAKE — A legal transaction requires that the making up of the mind (or the conclusive intention of the parties to close the bargain – gemirat ha da at) be demonstrated (see acquisition , Modes of). When it is apparent that one of the parties lacked such …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • mistake — mis|take1 [ mı steık ] noun count *** 1. ) something that you have not done correctly, or something you say or think that is not correct: make a mistake: I won t make the same mistake again! Don t worry, it s an easy mistake to make. correct a… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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