Etymology Borrowed from French misère. Doublet of misery and mizeria.
1
Card games, GamesUsually A bid to lose every trick, or the majority of tricks, with no trumps.
Especially whist
The exasperating frequency of hands where one card alone, such as a king or ace, supported by a deuce only, or king or ace bare, debars the holder from calling misère is an experience common to every player.1895, Barry Pain, Jerome Klapka Jerome (contributors), To-Day, A Weekly Magazine-Journal, volume 9, number 105, page 248:
misère
adj
Etymology Borrowed from French misère. Doublet of misery and mizeria.
1
Played according to the reverse of the usual winning convention.
A strategy in misère backgammon is to put six blots in a row.
2
Of a game, in which a player who is unable to move wins.