misdeed

From Middle English misdede, from Old English misdǣd (“misdeed”), from Proto-Germanic *missadēdiz (“misdeed”); equivalent to mis- +‎ deed. Cognate with Scots misded (“misdeed”), West Frisian misdied (“misdeed”), Dutch misdaad (“misdeed”), German Missetat (“misdeed”), Swedish missdåd (“misdeed”), Gothic 𐌼𐌹𐍃𐍃𐌰𐌳𐌴𐌸𐍃 (missadēþs, “misdeed”).

• IPA^(key): /mɪsˈdiːd/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: mis‧deed
• Rhymes: -iːd

misdeed (plural misdeeds)

1. That which was done that should not have been, ranging from any sin or moral offense to various degrees of crime.

   The petty misdeeds of his youth came back to haunt him when he ran for political office and his character was smeared.

   • 2023 March 22, “Stop & Examine”, in RAIL, number 979, page 71:

     These [putting feet on seats and leaving rubbish behind] are officially among the worst habits revealed by staff working on Northern's trains and at stations. Other bugbears include playing music through loudspeakers, not giving way to passengers getting off the train and actually illegal activities such as fare evasion and vaping in enclosed spaces. The list of misdeeds was released by the operator on March 3 to coincide with Employee Appreciation Day.

• misdemeanor
• misdoing

• misdo
• misdoer

• mischief

• Webster's Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary, Springfield, Massachusetts, G.&C. Merriam Co., 1967

• Medised, demised, meddies, medised