miss

1
[ mis ]
See synonyms for miss on Thesaurus.com
verb (used with object)
  1. to fail to hit or strike: to miss a target.

  2. to fail to encounter, meet, catch, etc.: to miss a train.

  1. to fail to take advantage of: to miss a chance.

  2. to fail to be present at or for: to miss a day of school.

  3. to notice the absence or loss of: When did you first miss your wallet?

  4. to regret the absence or loss of: I miss you all dreadfully.

  5. to escape or avoid: He just missed being caught.

  6. to fail to perceive or understand: to miss the point of a remark.

verb (used without object)
  1. to fail to hit something.

  2. to fail of effect or success; be unsuccessful.

noun
  1. a failure to hit something.

  2. a failure of any kind.

  1. an omission.

  2. a misfire.

Verb Phrases
  1. miss out, Chiefly British. to omit; leave out.

  2. miss out on, to fail to take advantage of, experience, etc.: You missed out on a great opportunity.

Idioms about miss

  1. miss fire. fire (def. 55).

Origin of miss

1
First recorded before 900; Middle English missen, mis(e), Old English missan; cognate with Old Frisian missa, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch, Old High German missen, Old Norse missa “to fail to hit or reach”

Other words from miss

  • miss·a·ble, adjective
  • un·miss·a·ble, adjective
  • un·missed, adjective

Words that may be confused with miss

Words Nearby miss

Other definitions for miss (2 of 4)

miss2
[ mis ]

noun,plural miss·es.
  1. (initial capital letter) a title of respect for an unmarried woman, conventionally prefixed to her name or to the name of that which she represents: Miss Mary Jones; Miss Sweden.

  2. (used by itself, as a term of address, especially to a young woman): Miss, please bring me some ketchup.

  1. (initial capital letter) a title prefixed to a mock surname used to represent a particular attribute of the person, especially one excessively prominent: Miss Innocent; Miss Congeniality.

  2. a young unmarried woman; girl: a radiant miss of 18 or so.

  3. misses,

    • a range of sizes, chiefly from 6 to 20, for garments that fit women of average height and build.

    • the department or section of a store where these garments are sold.

    • a garment in this size range.

Origin of miss

2
First recorded in 1600–10; short for mistress

usage note For miss

See Ms.

Other definitions for miss. (3 of 4)

miss.

abbreviation
  1. mission.

  2. missionary.

Other definitions for Miss. (4 of 4)

Miss.

abbreviation
  1. Mississippi.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use miss in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for miss (1 of 4)

miss1

/ (mɪs) /


verb
  1. to fail to reach, hit, meet, find, or attain (some specified or implied aim, goal, target, etc)

  2. (tr) to fail to attend or be present for: to miss a train; to miss an appointment

  1. (tr) to fail to see, hear, understand, or perceive: to miss a point

  2. (tr) to lose, overlook, or fail to take advantage of: to miss an opportunity

  3. (tr) to leave out; omit: to miss an entry in a list

  4. (tr) to discover or regret the loss or absence of: he missed his watch; she missed him

  5. (tr) to escape or avoid (something, esp a danger), usually narrowly: he missed death by inches

  6. miss the boat or miss the bus to lose an opportunity

noun
  1. a failure to reach, hit, meet, find, etc

  2. give something a miss informal to avoid (something): give the lecture a miss; give the pudding a miss

Origin of miss

1
Old English missan (meaning: to fail to hit); related to Old High German missan, Old Norse missa

Derived forms of miss

  • missable, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for miss (2 of 4)

miss2

/ (mɪs) /


noun
  1. informal an unmarried woman or girl, esp a schoolgirl

Origin of miss

2
C17: shortened form of mistress

British Dictionary definitions for Miss (3 of 4)

Miss

/ (mɪs) /


noun
  1. a title of an unmarried woman or girl, usually used before the surname or sometimes alone in direct address

Origin of Miss

3
C17: shortened from mistress

British Dictionary definitions for Miss. (4 of 4)

Miss.

abbreviation for
  1. Mississippi

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with miss

miss

In addition to the idioms beginning with miss

  • miss a beat
  • miss by a mile
  • miss fire
  • miss is as good as a mile, a
  • miss much
  • miss out on
  • miss the boat
  • miss the point

also see:

  • heart misses a beat
  • hit or miss
  • near miss
  • not miss a trick

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.