misdo

English

Etymology

From Middle English misdon, from Old English misdōn (“to do evil, transgress, do amiss, err”), from Proto-Germanic *missadōną (“to do wrongly”), from *missa- (“mis-”), *dōną (“to do”). Corresponding to mis- +‎ do. Cognate with Old Frisian misdūa (“to misdo”), Dutch misdoen (“to offend, do wrongly”), Middle Low German misdōn (“to misdo”), Middle High German missetuon (“to transgress, offend, blame”). More at mis-, do.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /mɪsˈduː/

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Verb

misdo (third-person singular simple present misdoes, present participle misdoing, simple past misdid, past participle misdone)

1. (archaic, intransitive) To do evil; to commit misdeeds.
2. (transitive) To do (something) incorrectly or improperly.
   • 1671, John Milton, “Samson Agonistes, […].”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J. M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 57:

     Afford me place to ſhew what recompence / Towards thee I intend for what I have miſdone, […]

3. (archaic, transitive) To do harm to; to injure, mistreat.
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, “xij”, in Le Morte Darthur, book V:

     thēne cam out a duchesse / & Clarysyn the countesse with many ladyes & damoysels / and knelyng bifore kynge Arthur requyred hym for the loue of god to receyue the cyte / & not to take it by assaulte for thenne shold many gyltles be slayne / thēne the kyng aualyd his vyser with a meke & noble coūtenaūce / & said madame ther shal none of my subgettys mysdoo you ne your maydens

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Anagrams

• Modis, mo-dis, odism