mistake#

mistake#
mistake vb Mistake, confuse, confound are comparable when they mean to mix up things, typically by taking one thing for another.
One mistakes one thing for another when by an error of perception or of thought or as a result of a predisposition or a bias one fails to recognize the thing or to comprehend its real nature and identifies it with something not itself or with something of another nature
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pointed out that Johnson's a's and o's have been mistaken one for the other— Sherbo

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the tendency of the rest of us to mistake gush for vigor and substitute rhetoric for imagination— Day Lewis

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One confuses one thing with another when one fails to distinguish two things that have similarities or common characteristics or to observe their lines of demarcation
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very possibly some of the cases confuse the principles that govern jurisdiction with those that govern merits— Justice Holmes

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far too intellectually keen to confuse moral problems with purely aesthetic problems— Ellis

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One confounds things, or one thing with another, when one mixes them up so hopelessly that one cannot detect their differences or distinctions. Confound usually carries a stronger connotation of mental bewilderment or of a muddled mind than the preceding words and accordingly is often preferred when the differences are more or less obvious to a clearheaded or intelligent person (courage must not be confounded with brutality.)
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Brutality is pleasure in forcing one's will upon other people; courage is indifference to personal misfortunes— Russell

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the temptation to confound accumulated knowledge and experience with intrinsic progress is almost irresistible— Inge

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Analogous words: addle, muddle, *confuse
Antonyms: recognize
mistake n *error, slip, lapse, blunder, faux pas, bull, howler, boner
Analogous words: confusion, confounding, mistaking (see corresponding verbs at MISTAKE): inadvertence (see corresponding adjective at CARELESS): neglecting or neglect, omitting or omission, disregarding, slighting or slight (see corresponding verbs at NEGLECT)

New Dictionary of Synonyms. 2014.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • mistake — mis·take n 1: an unintentional error esp. in legal procedure or form that does not indicate bad faith and that commonly warrants excuse or relief by the court the court s power to revise a judgment because of fraud, mistake, or irregularity a… …   Law dictionary

  • Mistake — Mis*take (m[i^]s*t[=a]k ), v. t. [imp. & obs. p. p. {Mistook} (m[i^]s*t[oo^]k ); p. p. {Mistaken} (m[i^]s*t[=a]k n); p. pr. & vb. n. {Mistaking}.] [Pref. mis + take: cf. Icel. mistaka.] 1. To take or choose wrongly. [Obs. or R.] Shak. [1913… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • mistake — [mi stāk′] vt. mistook, mistaken or Obs. mistook, mistaking [ME mistaken < ON mistaka, to take wrongly: see MIS 1 & TAKE] 1. to understand or perceive wrongly; interpret or judge incorrectly [mistake someone s motives] 2. to tak …   English World dictionary

  • Mistake — Mis*take (m[i^]s*t[=a]k ), n. 1. An apprehending wrongly; a misconception; a misunderstanding; a fault in opinion or judgment; an unintentional error of conduct. [1913 Webster] Infallibility is an absolute security of the understanding from all… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Mistake — Mis*take , v. i. To err in knowledge, perception, opinion, or judgment; to commit an unintentional error. [1913 Webster] Servants mistake, and sometimes occasion misunderstanding among friends. Swift. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • mistake — [n] error, misunderstanding aberration, blooper*, blunder, boo boo*, bungle, confusion, delusion, erratum, false move, false step, fault, faux pas, flub*, fluff*, gaffe, illusion, inaccuracy, inadvertence, lapse, misapplication, misapprehension,… …   New thesaurus

  • mistake — ► NOUN 1) a thing that is incorrect. 2) an error of judgement. ► VERB (past mistook; past part. mistaken) 1) be wrong about. 2) (mistake for) confuse (someone or something) with …   English terms dictionary

  • mistake — mis|take1 W2S2 [mıˈsteık] n 1.) something that has been done in the wrong way, or an opinion or statement that is incorrect →↑error mistake in ▪ We may have made a mistake in our calculations. ▪ a mistake in the law ▪ Ivan s work is always full… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • MISTAKE — A legal transaction requires that the making up of the mind (or the conclusive intention of the parties to close the bargain – gemirat ha da at) be demonstrated (see acquisition , Modes of). When it is apparent that one of the parties lacked such …   Encyclopedia of Judaism

  • mistake — mis|take1 [ mı steık ] noun count *** 1. ) something that you have not done correctly, or something you say or think that is not correct: make a mistake: I won t make the same mistake again! Don t worry, it s an easy mistake to make. correct a… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

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