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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

mishandle en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • (US) audio
  • /mɪsˈhændəl/

Etymology

From Middle English mishandlen, equivalent to mis- + handle. Cognate with Saterland Frisian mishondelje, West Frisian mishandelje, Dutch mishandelen (“to mistreat”), German misshandeln (“to mistreat”).

Meanings

  1. (countable, uncountable) Rough manipulation which causes physical damage.
  2. (countable, uncountable) Ineffective or incorrect deal.
  3. (countable, uncountable) Improper, wrong, or bad usage or treatment; abuse.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
mishandles Number=Plur lexicographic

mishandle en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • (US) audio
  • /mɪsˈhændəl/

Etymology

From Middle English mishandlen, equivalent to mis- + handle. Cognate with Saterland Frisian mishondelje, West Frisian mishandelje, Dutch mishandelen (“to mistreat”), German misshandeln (“to mistreat”).

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To manipulate something roughly, causing physical damage.
    • The obvious advantages of this method of new motor vehicle delivery over long distances,, which the L.M.R. says dealers and ultimate customers are beginning to appreciate, are all-weather reliability, arrival in mint condition and with only a very small mileage "on the clock", and the assurance that the car has not been mishandled during its running-in period; […]. 1962 October 14, “Talking of Trains: L.M.R. car-carrying success”, in Modern Railways, page 224:
    • If you mishandle a fragile package, the contents may break.
  2. (transitive) To deal with a situation incorrectly or ineffectively; to make a mistake in handling a situation.
    • On a summer visit back to the farm here where I grew up, I think I figured out the central problem with modern industrial agriculture. It’s not just that it produces unhealthy food, mishandles waste and overuses antibiotics in ways that harm us all. 2009 August 22, Nicholas Kristof, “Food for the Soul”, in The New York Times:
    • Mr. Trump faces 31 counts of violating the Espionage Act, which makes it a crime to mishandle national security secrets. 2023 July 18, Charlie Savage, “Trump Documents Hearing Could Set Off Lengthy Fight Over Classified Evidence”, in The New York Times:
    • Naturally, the wisdom of striking to remedy grievances was questioned; but there were few dissentients from the view that the Government and B.T.C. are mishandling the human relations involved. 1962 November 14, “Talking of Trains: The one-day strike”, in Modern Railways, page 291:
    • The prime minister was accused of mishandling the diplomatic crisis.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
mishandled Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
mishandled Tense=Past lexicographic
mishandles Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
mishandling Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Synonyms

abuse (manipulate roughly) · handle incorrectly (manipulate roughly) · mismanage (handle a situation incorrectly) · handle roughly (manipulate roughly) · misuse (manipulate roughly) · maul (manipulate roughly)

Translations (12)

fi hoitaa huonosti (deal with incorrectly) · bg малтретиране (manipulate roughly) · ca malmenar (manipulate roughly) · cmn 处理不当 (deal with incorrectly) · mi raukoti (manipulate roughly) · mi raukoti (deal with incorrectly) · fi tunaroida (deal with incorrectly) · fi käsitellä kovakouraisesti (manipulate roughly) · ca malmenar (deal with incorrectly) · cmn 虐待 (manipulate roughly) · es llevar mal (deal with incorrectly) · mi haukeke (manipulate roughly)