misprision

¹ American  

[mis-prizh-uhn] / mɪsˈprɪʒ ən /

noun

1. a neglect or violation of official duty by one in office.

2. failure by one not an accessory to prevent or notify the authorities of treason or felony.

3. a contempt against the government, monarch, or courts, as sedition, lese majesty, or a contempt of court.

4. a mistake; misunderstanding.

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misprision ² American  

[mis-prizh-uhn] / mɪsˈprɪʒ ən /

noun

1. contempt or scorn.

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misprision ¹ British  

/ mɪsˈprɪʒən /

noun

1. 1. a failure to inform the proper authorities of the commission of an act of treason

   2. the deliberate concealment of the commission of a felony

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misprision ² British  

/ mɪsˈprɪʒən /

noun

1. contempt

2. failure to appreciate the value of something

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Etymology

Origin of misprision¹

1375–1425; late Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French mesprision, equivalent to mes- mis- ¹ + prision < Latin prēnsiōn-, variant of prehēnsiōn- (stem of prehēnsiō ) prehension

Origin of misprision²

First recorded in 1580–90; misprise + -ion

Example Sentences

District Judge George Wu he was guilty of a rarely filed charge of “misprision of a felony.”

From Los Angeles Times

The jury found Mr. Sullivan guilty on one count of obstructing the F.T.C.’s investigation and one count of misprision, or acting to conceal a felony from authorities.

From New York Times

The Justice Department charged Mr. Sullivan with obstruction of justice, misprision of a felony and wire fraud relating to the 2016 breach.

From Washington Times

Sir Matthew Hale, a 17th-century English jurist whose legal philosophy made women's lives miserable for centuries was also quoted in the draft: "two treatises by Sir Matthew Hale likewise described abortion of a quick child who died in the womb as a 'great crime' and a 'great misprision'" and "Hale wrote that if a physician gave a woman 'with child' a 'potion' to cause an abortion, and the woman died, it was 'murder' because the potion was given 'unlawfully to destroy her child within her."

From Salon

Sir Edward Coke’s 17th-century treatise likewise asserted that abortion of a quick child was “murder” if the “childe be born alive” and a “great misprision” if the “childe dieth in her body.”

From Slate