Mistake — Defs

01 v. t. To take or choose wrongly.

imp. & obs. p. p. Mistook; p. p. Mistaken; p. pr. & vb. n. Mistaking

1.
To take or choose wrongly.[Obs. or R.]
2.
To take in a wrong sense; to misunderstand misapprehend, or misconceive; as, to mistake a remark; to mistake one's meaning.
“My father's purposes have been mistook.” — Shak.
3.
To substitute in thought or perception; as, to mistake one person for another.
“A man may mistake the love of virtue for the practice of it.” — Johnson.
4.
To have a wrong idea of in respect of character, qualities, etc.; to misjudge.
“Mistake me not so much, To think my poverty is treacherous.” — Shak.

02 v. i. To err in knowledge, perception, opinion, or judgment; to commit an unintentional error.

1.
To err in knowledge, perception, opinion, or judgment; to commit an unintentional error.
“Servants mistake, and sometimes occasion misunderstanding among friends.” — Swift.

03 n. An apprehending wrongly; a misconception; a misunderstanding; a fault in opinion or judgment; an unintentional error of conduct.

1.
An apprehending wrongly; a misconception; a misunderstanding; a fault in opinion or judgment; an unintentional error of conduct.
“Infallibility is an absolute security of the understanding from all possibility of mistake.” — Tillotson.
2.
Misconception, error, which when non-negligent may be ground for rescinding a contract, or for refusing to perform it.(Law)

Phrases & compounds

No mistake — surely; without fail; as, it will happen at the appointed time, and no mistake.

Syn. Blunder; error; bull. See Blunder.