mistake

mistake
1 /mi'steIk/ noun (C)
1 INCORRECT ACTION/OPINION ETC something that has been done incorrectly, or an opinion or statement that is incorrect: Hitting the ball too hard in golf is a typical beginner's mistake. | make a mistake: I think you've made a mistake - this isn't my coat. | there must be some mistake (=used when you think someone has made a mistake): There must be some mistake - I already paid my hotel bill. | learn from your mistakes (=learn how to do something correctly by doing it the wrong way first)
2 by mistake if you do something by mistake, you do it without intending to: Someone must have left the door open by mistake.
3 STUPID ACTION something unwise or stupid that someone does, which they regret doing afterwards: Buying the house seemed a great idea at the time, but now I can see it was a mistake. | make a mistake: It's your decision, but I warn you - you're making a mistake. | big mistake: Marrying him was the biggest mistake she ever made. | make the mistake of doing sth: I stupidly made the mistake of giving them my phone number. | it is a mistake to do sth: It would be a mistake to underestimate the amount of support for his victims.
4 IN SPEECH OR WRITING something that is said or written incorrectly, for example in a piece of school work: Ivan's work is always full of mistakes. | make a mistake: At this level, students tend to make a lot of basic mistakes. | spelling mistake: There are a lot of spelling mistakes in this letter.
5 we all make mistakes spoken used when telling someone not to be worried because they have made a mistake
6 make no mistake (about it) spoken used to emphasize what you are saying, especially when you are warning someone: He'll get his revenge, make no mistake about it!.
7 and no mistake spoken used to show that you are very certain about something that you have just said: Miles was a heartbreaker, and no mistake!
—compare error 2 past tense mistook past participle mistaken verb (T)
1 to understand something wrongly: Ken mistook her concern, thinking she was interested in him for another reason. | She mistook my meaning entirely.
2 you can't mistake sb/sth used to say that someone or something is very easy to recognize: You can't mistake her. She's the one with the long red hair.
3 there is no mistaking sb/sth used to say that you are certain about something: There's no mistaking whose children they are - they all look just like Joe.
mistake sb/sth for sb/sth phrasal verb (T) to think that one person or thing is someone or something else: I mistook the poor woman for my sister. | The doctor mistook the symptoms for blood poisoning. (=and it was something else)

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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Synonyms:
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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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