Dictionary

misken en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /mɪsˈkɛn/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English *miskennen (suggested by miskenninge (“mistake, misinterpretation”)), from Old English *miscennan (suggested by miscennung (“a mistake or variation in pleading before a court, or a fine exacted for this mistake”)), equivalent to mis- + ken. Cognate with Scots misken (“to not know, misken”), Dutch miskennen (“to fail to recognise, ignore”), German mißkennen (“to misunderstand”), Swedish misskänna (“to misunderstand”).

Meanings

1. (UK, dialectal, transitive) To mistake one for another; mistake in point of knowledge or recognition; misconceive.
2. (UK, dialectal, transitive) To fail to know; be ignorant or unaware of; appear to be ignorant of.
3. (UK, dialectal, transitive) To misunderstand; mistake; have the wrong idea of.
4. (UK, dialectal, reflexive) To esteem oneself incorrectly; have a false or exaggerated opinion of oneself or one's position.
5. (UK, dialectal, transitive) To fail to recognise or identify.
6. (UK, dialectal, transitive) To refuse to acknowledge; disown; repudiate; pass over; ignore; disregard; neglect; overlook; disavow; disclaim; disown; deny.
7. (UK, dialectal, transitive) To fail to mention.

Forms

Deriveds

miskenning · miskenner