Miss
Pronunciation
- IPA: /mɪs/
- Rhymes: -ɪs
Origin 1
From Middle English missen, from Old English missan ("to miss, escape the notice of a person"), Proto-Germanic *missijanÄ… ("to miss, go wrong, fail"), from Proto-Indo-European *meit- ("to change, exchange, trade"). Cognate with North Frisian missen ("to miss"), Dutch missen ("to miss"), German vermissen ("to do without, miss"), Swedish missa ("to miss"), Icelandic missa ("to lose").
Full definition of miss
Verb
- (ambitransitive) To fail to hit.I missed the target.I tried to kick the ball, but missed.
- Francis BaconMen observe when things hit, and not when they miss.
- WallerFlying bullets now,
To execute his rage, appear too slow;
They miss, or sweep but common souls away. - (transitive) To fail to achieve or attain.to miss an opportunity
- John LockeWhen a man misses his great end, happiness, he will acknowledge he judged not right.
- (transitive) To feel the absence of someone or something, sometimes with regret.I miss you! Come home soon!
- MiltonWhat by me thou hast lost, thou least shalt miss.
- (transitive) To fail to understand or have a shortcoming of perception.miss the joke
- (transitive) To fail to attend.Joe missed the meeting this morning.
- (transitive) To be late for something (a means of transportation, a deadline etc).I missed the plane!
- (sports) To fail to score (a goal).
- 2011, September 18, Ben Dirs, Rugby World Cup 2011: England 41-10 Georgia, Georgia, ranked 16th in the world, dominated the breakdown before half-time and forced England into a host of infringements, but fly-half Merab Kvirikashvili missed three penalties.
- (intransitive, obsolete) To go wrong; to err.
- SpenserAmongst the angels, a whole legion
Of wicked sprites did fall from happy bliss;
What wonder then if one, of women all, did miss? - (intransitive, obsolete) To be absent, deficient, or wanting.
- ShakespeareWhat here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
Usage notes
This is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing). See
Antonyms
Derived terms
Noun
miss
(plural misses)- A failure to hit.
- A failure to obtain or accomplish.
- An act of avoidance.I think I’ll give the meeting a miss.
Origin 2
From mistress.
Noun
miss
(countable and uncountable; plural misss)- A title of respect for a young woman (usually unmarried) with or without a name used.You may sit here, miss.You may sit here, Miss Jones.
- An unmarried woman; a girl.
- CawthornGay vanity, with smiles and kisses,
Was busy 'mongst the maids and misses. - A kept woman; a mistress.
- (card games) In the game of three-card loo, an extra hand, dealt on the table, which may be substituted for the hand dealt to a player.