mistook

[ mi-stoo k ]
/ mɪˈstʊk /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR mistook ON THESAURUS.COM

verb

simple past tense of mistake.

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Words nearby mistook

mistinguett, mistle thrush, mistletoe, mistletoe bird, mistletoe cactus, mistook, mistral, mistranslate, mistreat, mistress, mistress of ceremonies

Definition for mistook (2 of 2)

mistake
[ mi-steyk ]
/ mɪˈsteɪk /

noun

an error in action, calculation, opinion, or judgment caused by poor reasoning, carelessness, insufficient knowledge, etc.
a misunderstanding or misconception.

verb (used with object), mis·took, mis·tak·en, mis·tak·ing.

to regard or identify wrongly as something or someone else: I mistook him for the mayor.
to understand, interpret, or evaluate wrongly; misunderstand; misinterpret.

verb (used without object), mis·took, mis·tak·en, mis·tak·ing.

to be in error.

Origin of mistake

1300–30; Middle English mistaken (v.) < Old Norse mistaka to take in error. See mis-1, take

SYNONYMS FOR mistake

1 inaccuracy, erratum, fault, oversight. Mistake, blunder, error, slip refer to deviations from right, accuracy, correctness, or truth. A mistake, grave or trivial, is caused by bad judgment or a disregard of rule or principle: It was a mistake to argue. A blunder is a careless, stupid, or gross mistake in action or speech, suggesting awkwardness, heedlessness, or ignorance: Through his blunder the message was lost. An error (often interchanged with mistake ) is an unintentional wandering or deviation from accuracy, or right conduct: an error in addition. A slip is usually a minor mistake made through haste or carelessness: a slip of the tongue.
4 misconceive, misjudge, err.
SEE SYNONYMS FOR mistake ON THESAURUS.COM

words often confused with mistake

See misnomer.

OTHER WORDS FROM mistake

mis·tak·er, nounmis·tak·ing·ly, adverbun·mis·tak·ing, adjectiveun·mis·tak·ing·ly, adverb

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH mistake

misnomer mistake (see confusables note at misnomer)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to mistook

misread, misinterpret, miscalculate, overlook, confuse, misjudge, underestimate, misconstrue, overestimate, goof, miscount, err, botch, addle, lapse, omit, misconceive, blunder, confound, snarl

Example sentences from the Web for mistook

British Dictionary definitions for mistook (1 of 2)

mistook
/ (mɪˈstʊk) /

verb

the past tense of mistake

British Dictionary definitions for mistook (2 of 2)

mistake
/ (mɪˈsteɪk) /

noun

an error or blunder in action, opinion, or judgment
a misconception or misunderstanding

verb -takes, -taking, -took or -taken

(tr) to misunderstand; misinterpretshe mistook his meaning
(tr foll by for) to take (for), interpret (as), or confuse (with)she mistook his direct manner for honesty
(tr) to choose badly or incorrectlyhe mistook his path
(intr) to make a mistake in action, opinion, judgment, etc

Derived forms of mistake

mistaker, noun

Word Origin for mistake

C13 (meaning: to do wrong, err): from Old Norse mistaka to take erroneously
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

Idioms and Phrases with mistook

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