Miss

Pronunciation

• IPA: /mɪs/
• Rhymes: -ɪs

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

1. (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.
2. (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.
3. (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.
4. (transitive) To fail to understand or have a shortcoming of perception.miss the joke
5. (transitive) To fail to attend.Joe missed the meeting this morning.
6. (transitive) To be late for something (a means of transportation, a deadline etc).I missed the plane!
7. (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.
8. (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?
9. (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

• (to fail to hit) hit, strike, impinge on, run into, collide with
• (to feel the absence of) have, feature

Derived terms

• hit-and-miss
• miss a trick
• miss the mark
• miss the point
• miss the boat
• miss fire, misfire
• miss out
• near miss

Noun

1. A failure to hit.
2. A failure to obtain or accomplish.
3. An act of avoidance.I think I’ll give the meeting a miss.

From mistress.

Noun

1. 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.
2. An unmarried woman; a girl.
• CawthornGay vanity, with smiles and kisses,
  Was busy 'mongst the maids and misses.
3. A kept woman; a mistress.
4. (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.

Related terms

• Miss
• missis, missus
• missy
• Mrs.
• Ms.

Anagrams

• isms
• sims, Sims, SIMS