to be in mischief

1 definition found

to be in mischief - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Mischief \Mis"chief\ (m[i^]s"ch[i^]f), n. [OE. meschef bad
     result, OF. meschief; pref. mes- (L. minus less) + chief end,
     head, F. chef chief. See Minus, and Chief.]
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     1. Harm; damage; esp., disarrangement of order; trouble or
        vexation caused by human agency or by some living being,
        intentionally or not; often, calamity, mishap; trivial
        evil caused by thoughtlessness, or in sport. --Chaucer.
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              Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs.        --Ps. lii. 2.
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              The practice whereof shall, I hope, secure me from
              many mischiefs.                       --Fuller.
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     2. Cause of trouble or vexation; trouble. --Milton.
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              The mischief was, these allies would never allow
              that the common enemy was subdued.    --Swift.
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     To be in mischief, to be doing harm or causing annoyance.
        
  
     To make mischief, to do mischief, especially by exciting
        quarrels.
  
     To play the mischief, to cause great harm; to throw into
        confusion. [Colloq.]
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     Syn: Damage; harm; hurt; injury; detriment; evil; ill.
  
     Usage: Mischief, Damage, Harm. Damage is an injury
            which diminishes the value of a thing; harm is an
            injury which causes trouble or inconvenience; mischief
            is an injury which disturbs the order and consistency
            of things. We often suffer damage or harm from
            accident, but mischief always springs from perversity
            or folly.
            [1913 Webster]