Definition: mistake

Source: WordNet (r) 1.7

mistake
     n 1: a wrong action attributable to bad judgment or ignorance or
          inattention; "he made a bad mistake"; "she was quick to
          point out my errors"; "I could understand his English in
          spite of his grammatical faults" [syn: error, fault]
     2: an understanding of something that is not correct; "he
        wasn't going to admit his mistake"; "make no mistake about
        his intentions"; "there must be some misunderstanding--I
        don't have a sister" [syn: misunderstanding, misapprehension]
     3: part of a statement that is not correct; "the book was full
        of errors" [syn: error]
     v 1: identify incorrectly; "Don't mistake her for her twin
          sister" [syn: misidentify]
     2: mistake one thing for another; "you are confusing me with
        the other candidate"; "I mistook her for the secretary"
        [syn: confuse, confound]
     3: to make a mistake or be incorrect [syn: err, slip]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Mistake \Mis*take"\, v. t.
   To make or form amiss; to spoil in making. ``Limping
   possibilities of mismade human nature.'' --Mrs. Browning.

Mistake \Mis*take"\, v. i.
   To err in knowledge, perception, opinion, or judgment; to
   commit an unintentional error.

         Servants mistake, and sometimes occasion
         misunderstanding among friends.          --Swift.

Mistake \Mis*take"\, n.
   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. (Law) Misconception, error, which when non-negligent may
      be ground for rescinding a contract, or for refusing to
      perform it.

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

   Syn: Blunder; error; bull. See Blunder.

Mistake \Mis*take"\, v. t. [imp. & obs. p. p. Mistook; p. p.
   Mistaken; p. pr. & vb. n. Mistaking.] [Pref. mis- + take:
   cf. Icel. mistaka.]
   1. To take or choose wrongly. [Obs. or R.] --Shak.

   2. To take in a wrong sense; to misunderstand misapprehend,
      or misconceive; as, to mistake a remark; to mistake one's
      meaning. --Locke.

            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.