Standard Lemma guide

misgive

verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

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

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  • CMU ARPABET: M IH0 S G IH1 V Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

Of the mind, heart, etc.: to give fear or doubt to; to make irresolute.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To suspect; to dread.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To give wrongly; to give or grant amiss.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, transitive

Examples

  • 1700, William Laud, An Historical Account of All Material Transactions Relating to the University of Oxford in The history of the troubles and tryal of the Most Reverend Father in God and blessed martyr, William Laud, Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, London: Ri[chard] Chiswell, p. 192, [...] I protest unto you, I knew nothing of any of their Liberty misgiven or misused, till about a Fortnight since [...]

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

suggest fear or doubt

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • Her heart misgave her that she had acted inexcusably

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: worry, vex

History

Etymology

from mis- + give, from Middle English give (“suggest, give”). Compare given and what gives.

Across languages

Translations

7 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 使擔心 /使担心 (shǐ dānxīn) — to give fear or doubt to
  • Chinese Mandarin: 使不安 (shǐ bù'ān) — to give fear or doubt to
  • Finnish: aavistaa pahaa — to give fear or doubt to
  • Finnish: epäillä — to give fear or doubt to
  • Russian: внуша́ть опасе́ния (vnušátʹ opasénija) — to give fear or doubt to
  • Serbo-Croatian: слутити — to give fear or doubt to
  • Serbo-Croatian: slutiti — to give fear or doubt to