miscue

¹

[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

²

[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

/ 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 1880–85; mis- ¹ + cue ¹

Origin of miscue²

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

Example Sentences

Between injuries, slumps, defensive miscues and mechanical swing flaws, Hernández has endured one of his worst career seasons.

From Los Angeles Times

There were fundamental miscues on the bases and on defense, lapses Roberts boiled down to a simple lack of focus.

From Los Angeles Times

It showed at times Saturday — he delivered a perfectly placed fourth-down pass to Xavier Smith along the left sideline in the first quarter, and also scrambled for a first down — and avoided momentum-changing miscues.

From Los Angeles Times

Krishna got Crawley to miscue a pull before the bowler's confrontation with Root caused the umpires to step in.

From BBC

Six of Bashir's successes are via catches in the deep, another a stumping and another a caught and bowled off a miscue.

From BBC

Related Words

• blooper 
• mistake