Search: mischief etymology
Why: In Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992):
I'm traveling with my dad. He's at a meeting. I hate meetings. Plus I'm not allowed to go in. I can only sit in the lobby. That's boring. So he dropped me off here. He gave me his credit card and told me to give this to whoever was welcoming people in so I won't get into mischief. And ma'am, sometimes I do get into mischief. We all do!
Answer: It sorta means "bad head." A history of mischief!
- c.1300, "evil condition, misfortune, need, want" from O.Fr. meschief (Fr. méchef)
- verbal noun from meschever "come or bring to grief, be unfortunate" (opposite of achieve)
- from mes- "badly" + chever "happen, come to a head," from V.L. *capare "head," from L. caput "head"
- Meaning "harm or evil considered as the work of some agent or due to some cause" is from late 15c.
- Sense of "playful malice" first recorded 1784.
- Mischief Night in 19c. England was the eve of May Day and of Nov. 5, both major holidays, and perhaps the original point was pilfering for the next day's celebration and bonfire; but in Yorkshire, Scotland, and Ireland the night was Halloween.
The More You Know:
Get it on a shirt!
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