1. v. & n.
--v.
1. tr. (also absol.) fail to hit, reach, find, catch, etc. (an object or goal).
2 tr. fail to catch (a bus, train, etc.).
3 tr. fail to experience, see, or attend (an occurrence or event).
4 tr. fail to meet (a person); fail to keep (an appointment).
5 tr. fail to seize (an opportunity etc.) (I missed my chance).
6 tr. fail to hear or understand (I'm sorry, I missed what you said).
7 tr. a regret the loss or absence of (a person or thing) (did you miss me while I was away?). b notice the loss or absence of (an object) (bound to miss the key if it isn't there).
8 tr. avoid (go early to miss the traffic).
9 tr. miss out 1.
10 intr. (of an engine etc.) fail, misfire.
--n.
1. a failure to hit, reach, attain, connect, etc.
2 colloq. MISCARRIAGE 1.
Phrases and idioms:
be missing not have (see also MISSING adj.). give (a thing) a miss avoid, leave alone (gave the party a miss). miss the boat (or bus) lose an opportunity. miss fire (of a gun) fail to go off or hit the mark (cf. MISFIRE). a miss is as good as a mile the fact of failure or escape is not affected by the narrowness of the margin. miss out
1. omit, leave out (missed out my name from the list).
2 (usu. foll. by on) colloq. fail to get or experience (always misses out on the good times). not miss much be alert. not miss a trick never fail to seize an opportunity, advantage, etc.
Derivatives:
missable adj.
Etymology: OE missan f. Gmc 2. n.1 a girl or unmarried woman.
2 (Miss) a the title of an unmarried woman or girl, or of a married woman retaining her maiden name for professional purposes. b the title of a beauty queen (Miss World).
3 usu. derog. or joc. a girl, esp. a schoolgirl, with implications of silliness etc.
4 the title used to address a female schoolteacher, shop assistant, etc.
Derivatives:
missish adj. (in sense 3).
Etymology: abbr. of MISTRESS