mischievous
adj/ˈmɪs.t͡ʃɪ.vəs/ · /ˈmɪs.t͡ʃə.vəs/
Etymology From Middle English myschevous, mischevous, from Anglo-Norman meschevous, from Old French meschever, from mes- (“mis-”) + chever (“come to an end”) (from chef (“head”)). By surface analysis, mischief + -ous.
1
Causing mischief; injurious.
- ...; that good and bad actions at present are naturally rewarded and punished, not only as beneficial and mischievous to society, but also as virtuous and civious; ...1793, Joseph Butler, The Analogy of Religion:
- On the whole, therefore, he concludes that the point of indulgence at which these self-passions or self-affections begin to be mischievous to the individual coincides with that at which they begin to be mischievous to society; ...1892, Henry Sidgwick, Outlines of the History of Ethics:
2
Troublesome, cheeky, badly behaved, impish, naughty, disobedient; showing a fondness for causing trouble in a playful way and liking to have fun by playing harmless tricks on people or doing things they are not supposed to do.
- Matthew had a twin brother called Edward, who was always mischievous and badly behaved.
- Synonyms
- harmful, hurtful, detrimental, noxious, pernicious, destructive, badly-behaved, naughty
- Derived terms
- mischievously, mischievousness, nonmischievous