— mistaker , n. — mistakingly , adv.
/mi stayk"/ , n. , v. , mistook, mistaken, mistaking .
n.
1. an error in action, calculation, opinion, or judgment caused by poor reasoning, carelessness, insufficient knowledge, etc.
2. a misunderstanding or misconception.
3. and no mistake , for certain; surely: He's an honorable person, and no mistake.
v.t.
4. to regard or identify wrongly as something or someone else: I mistook him for the mayor.
5. to understand, interpret, or evaluate wrongly; misunderstand; misinterpret.
v.i.
6. to be in error.
[ 1300-30; ME mistaken (v.) mistaka to take in error. See MIS- 1 , TAKE ]
Syn. 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. 5. misconceive, misjudge, err.
Ant. 2. understanding.