mislay
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to lose temporarily; misplace.
He mislaid his keys.
-
to lay or place wrongly; arrange or situate improperly.
to mislay linoleum.
verb
-
to lose (something) temporarily, esp by forgetting where it is
-
to lay (something) badly
Other Word Forms
- mislayer noun
Etymology
Origin of mislay
First recorded in 1350–1400, mislay is from Middle English mysse layen. See mis- 1, lay 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Why do airlines still mislay 25 million bags a year?
From BBC • Nov. 3, 2021
The physical world is an annoyance, an afterthought, a place where they mislay their pills and can’t seem to remember why it was that they entered a room or left it.
From New York Times • Jun. 10, 2018
If you’re easily offended or confused, mislay this book and go back to “All the Light We Cannot See.”
From Washington Post • May 12, 2015
The task isn't simply to avoid panic at the crucial juncture but to be sure not to mislay one's excrement in between times, while the opposing captain jiggles his field and the bowler runs up.
From The Guardian • Mar. 1, 2013
But in a blink of inattention, I would mislay the baby.
From "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
