verb
Meaning 1
To direct something wrongly
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
misdirect
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
-
US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
-
CMU ARPABET: M IH0 S D IH0 R EH1 K T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
verb
Meaning 2
To direct attention away from covert actions or intended targets.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
To put the incorrect address on a mail item
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
put a wrong address on
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- misdirect the letter
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: misaddress
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: address, direct
verb
Meaning 5
lead someone in the wrong direction or give someone wrong directions
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- The pedestrian misdirected the out-of-town driver
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: mislead, misguide, lead astray
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: lead, take, direct, conduct, guide
verb
Meaning 6
corrupt morally or by intemperance or sensuality
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- debauch the young people with wine and women
- Socrates was accused of corrupting young men
- Do school counselors subvert young children?
- corrupt the morals
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: corrupt, pervert, subvert, demoralize, demoralise, debauch, debase, profane, vitiate, deprave
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: change, alter, modify
Narrower terms: sensualize, sensualise, carnalize, carnalise, infect, lead off, lead astray, poison, bastardize, bastardise, suborn
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *mey-? Proto-Indo-European *meyth2-der. Proto-Germanic *missaz Proto-Germanic *missa- Proto-West Germanic *missa- Old English mis- Middle English mys- English mis- English direct English misdirect From mis- + direct.
Across languages
Translations
8 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- German: fehlleiten — To direct something wrongly
- Ido: misdirektar — To direct something wrongly
- Polish: błędnie kierować — To direct something wrongly
- Polish: błędnie skierować — To direct something wrongly
- Ido: misadresizar — To put the incorrect address on a mail item
- Polish: nadawać pod niewłaściwy adres — To put the incorrect address on a mail item
- Polish: nadać pod niewłaściwy adres — To put the incorrect address on a mail item
- Spanish: poner mal la dirección — To put the incorrect address on a mail item