mischief Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun reckless or malicious behavior that causes discomfort or annoyance in others
mischief-making; rascality; mischievousness; roguishness; roguery; devilment; deviltry; shenanigan; devilry.
noun the quality or nature of being harmful or evil
maleficence; balefulness.

OE. meschef bad result, OF. meschief; pref. mes- (L. minus less) + chief end, head, F. chef chief. See Minus, and Chief.

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.
Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs. Ps. lii. 2.

The practice whereof shall, I hope, secure me from many mischiefs. Fuller.
Cause of trouble or vexation; trouble. Milton.
The mischief was, these allies would never allow that the common enemy was subdued. Swift.
Syn. -- Damage; harm; hurt; injury; detriment; evil; ill. -- 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.