English Dictionary

Definition of “miss”

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1miss1 (mɪsPronunciation for miss1) 

Definitions

verb

  1. to fail to reach, hit, meet, find, or attain (some specified or implied aim, goal, target, etc)
  2. (tr) to fail to attend or be present for  ⇒ to miss a train to miss an appointment 
  3. (tr) to fail to see, hear, understand, or perceive  ⇒ to miss a point 
  4. (tr) to lose, overlook, or fail to take advantage of  ⇒ to miss an opportunity 
  5. (tr) to leave out; omit  ⇒ to miss an entry in a list 
  6. (tr) to discover or regret the loss or absence of  ⇒ he missed his watch she missed him 
  7. (tr) to escape or avoid (something, esp a danger), usually narrowly  ⇒ he missed death by inches 
  8. See miss the boat

noun

  1. a failure to reach, hit, meet, find, etc
  2. See give something a miss

See also

miss out

Alternative Forms

ˈmissable adjective

Word Origin

Old English missan  (meaning: to fail to hit); related to Old High German missan,  Old Norse missa

Synonyms

View thesaurus entry
= fail to hit go wide of fall short of avoid,
= mishit, fail to score fumble, fluff,
= fail to notice mistake, overlook, pass over,
= misunderstand, fail to appreciate
= pass up, skip, disregard, forego, let slip, lose out on,
= long for wish for, yearn for want, need, hunger for, pine for, long to see ache for feel the loss of regret the absence of
= be late for fail to catch or get
= not go to skip, cut, omit, be absent from fail to attend skive off, play truant from bludge, absent yourself from
= mishear, misunderstand, fail to hear fail to take in
= avoid, beat, escape, skirt, duck, cheat, bypass, dodge, evade, get round, elude, steer clear of, sidestep, circumvent, find a way round give a wide berth to,
= err, lose, fail, lack, trip, slip, leave out, blunder, let go, let slip, miscarry,
= mistake, failure, fault, error, blunder, omission, oversight,

2miss2 (mɪsPronunciation for miss2) 

Definitions

noun

  1. informal an unmarried woman or girl, esp a schoolgirl

Word Origin

C17: shortened form of mistress

Miss (mɪsPronunciation for Miss) 

Definitions

noun

  1. a title of an unmarried woman or girl, usually used before the surname or sometimes alone in direct address

Word Origin

C17: shortened from mistress

Miss.

Definitions

abbreviation for

  1. Mississippi

Quotations

  • "A miss is as good as a mile" Walter Scott
  • "What you've never had you never miss"

Translations

  • British English: miss Pronunciation for miss If you miss something that you are trying to hit or catch, you do not manage to hit it or catch it.I jumped but missed the ball. He threw the paper towards the bin but missed.mɪs VERB I jumped but missed the ball. He threw the paper towards the bin but missed.
  • Spanish: errar Pronunciation for errar v
  • French: manquer Pronunciation for manquer vt
  • German: verfehlen Pronunciation for verfehlen v
  • Chinese: 未击中Pronunciation for 未击中 vt
  • Arabic: يَفْتَقِدُPronunciation for يَفْتَقِدُ v
  • Portuguese: perderPronunciation for perder vt
  • Russian: пропуститьPronunciation for пропустить vt
  • Croatian: promašitiPronunciation for promašiti v
  • Czech: přehlédnoutPronunciation for přehlédnout vt přehlížet
  • Danish: savnePronunciation for savne v
  • Dutch: missenPronunciation for missen vt
  • Finnish: ei huomata jotakinPronunciation for ei huomata jotakin v
  • Greek: χάνωPronunciation for χάνω v
  • Italian: mancarePronunciation for mancare v
  • Japanese: 見逃すPronunciation for 見逃す v
  • Korean: (겨냥한 것을) 놓치다Pronunciation for (겨냥한 것을) 놓치다 vt
  • Norwegian: savnePronunciation for savne v
  • Polish: chybićPronunciation for chybić vt chbiać
  • Brazilian Portuguese: perderPronunciation for perder vt
  • European Spanish: errar Pronunciation for errar v
  • Swedish: saknaPronunciation for sakna vt
  • Thai: พลาด ไม่เห็น ไม่เข้าใจ ไม่ได้ยินPronunciation for พลาด ไม่เห็น ไม่เข้าใจ ไม่ได้ยิน vt
  • Turkish: kaçırmakPronunciation for kaçırmak vt
  • Vietnamese: bỏ lỡPronunciation for bỏ lỡ v
  • British English: miss If you miss something, you do not notice it.What did he say? I missed it.mɪs VERB What did he say? I missed it.
  • French: manquer vt
  • Arabic: يُفَوِّتُ v
  • Brazilian Portuguese: prestar atenção v
  • British English: miss If you miss someone who is not with you, you feel sad that they are not there.The boys miss their father.mɪs VERB The boys miss their father.
  • French: manquer à vi
  • Arabic: يَفْتَقِدُ v
  • Brazilian Portuguese: sentir falta vt
  • British English: Miss Pronunciation for Miss You use Miss in front of the name of a girl or unmarried woman when you are speaking to her or referring to her.It was nice talking to you, Miss Liu.mɪs NOUN It was nice talking to you, Miss Liu.
  • Spanish: señorita Pronunciation for señorita nf
  • French: Mademoiselle Pronunciation for Mademoiselle nf
  • German: Fräulein Pronunciation for Fräulein nnt
  • Chinese: 小姐Pronunciation for 小姐 n
  • Arabic: آنِسَةٌPronunciation for آنِسَةٌ n
  • Portuguese: meninaPronunciation for menina nf
  • Russian: миссPronunciation for мисс nf
  • Croatian: gospođicaPronunciation for gospođica nf
  • Czech: slečnaPronunciation for slečna nf
  • Danish: frøkenPronunciation for frøken nutr
  • Dutch: mejuffrouwPronunciation for mejuffrouw nf
  • Finnish: neitiPronunciation for neiti n
  • Greek: ΔεσποινίςPronunciation for Δεσποινίς nf
  • Italian: signorinaPronunciation for signorina nf
  • Japanese: 独身女性の名字の前に付ける敬称Pronunciation for 独身女性の名字の前に付ける敬称 n
  • Korean: ...양Pronunciation for ...양 n
  • Norwegian: frøkenPronunciation for frøken nm
  • Polish: pannaPronunciation for panna nf
  • Brazilian Portuguese: senhoritaPronunciation for senhorita nf
  • European Spanish: señorita Pronunciation for señorita nf
  • Swedish: frökenPronunciation for fröken nutr
  • Thai: นางสาวPronunciation for นางสาว n
  • Turkish: BayanPronunciation for Bayan n
  • Vietnamese: CôPronunciation for Cô n

Usage examples

  • Perhaps it was the dim light that made him miss his footing.
    Stuart Harrison, BETTER THAN THIS (2002)
  • Stalkers could try to come get me if I miss a pass or something.
    Maxim (2004)
  • He had played sublimely up until his first miss , his tactical kicking, handling and running augmented by his first three penalties.
    Irish Times (2002)
  • Mark Philippoussis is unlikely to play in the French Open and could also miss out on Wimbledon according to his manager.
    Glasgow Herald (2001)
  • I found the address easily: it was hard to miss , marked by a startling neon sign announcing a tavern.
    Tracy Chevalier, THE VIRGIN BLUE (2002)

Commonness

All English words that begin with 'M'

Related Terms

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