miscue

¹

[mis-kyoo]

noun

1. a stroke in which the cue fails to make solid contact with the cue ball.

verb (used without object)

miscued, miscuing 

1. to make a miscue.

miscue

²

[mis-kyoo]

noun

1. Sports.,  a failure to execute a play, stroke, or maneuver properly; an error.

2. Informal.,  a mistake.

3. Informal.,  to make a mistake.

4. Theater.,  to fail to answer one's cue or to answer another's cue.

verb (used with object)

miscued, miscuing 

1. to give the wrong cue to.

miscue

/ ˌmɪsˈkjuː /

noun

1. billiards a faulty stroke in which the cue tip slips off the cue ball or misses it altogether

2. informal,  a blunder or mistake

verb

1. (intr) billiards to make a miscue

2. (intr) theatre to fail to answer one's own cue or answer the cue of another

3. radio to start (a record or tape) at the wrong point

4. informal,  (intr) to blunder

Word History and Origins

Origin of miscue¹

First recorded in 1870–75; mis- ¹ + cue ²

Origin of miscue²

First recorded in 1880–85; mis- ¹ + cue ¹

Example Sentences

If past is prologue, he will overreach in response to this week’s peace proffer, rejecting what many in his entourage would view as an attractive exit from a strategic miscue.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

He had Lions captain Tom Haines miscue to mid-on with the fifth ball he bowled then Bethell, who spent 15 balls on nought, pulled to square leg.

Read more on BBC

Under Chief Executive Lip-Bu Tan, who took over in March, Intel is trying to become more responsive to customer needs and improve its technology after years of miscues.

Read more on MarketWatch

Some of the miscues were “just dumb,” Reaves said.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In fact, a defensive miscue might even have turned the tide for the entire series.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• blooper 
• mistake