MISGIVING • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Misgiving

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/mɪsgˈɪvɪŋ/ Listen

noun

misgiving n. Evil premonition; doubt; distrust; a feeling of apprehension; used commonly in the plural. "Suspicious and misgivings."

verb

Misgive v. t. (past misgave; past part. misgiven; pres. part. misgiving)

To give or grant amiss. (Obs.)

Specifically: To give doubt and apprehension to, instead of confidence and courage; to impart fear to; to make irresolute; usually said of the mind or heart, and followed by the objective personal pronoun. "So doth my heart misgive me in these conflicts What may befall him, to his harm and ours." "Such whose consciences misgave them, how ill they had deserved."

To suspect; to dread. (Obs.)

Misgive v. i. (past misgave; past part. misgiven; pres. part. misgiving) To give out doubt and apprehension; to be fearful or irresolute. "My mind misgives."

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Etymology of 'Misgiving'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Misgiving" Quotes from Famous Books

... when I left the province, another building of any material value at the Port. Numerous wooden houses existed in the shape of inns, stables, etc.; but the best of these were unfortunately burnt down by a fire a few days before I embarked for Europe. Whether it is that a misgiving on the minds of the public as to the permanency of the Port has been the cause of, and prevented the erection of more substantial and better houses at Port Adelaide, it is difficult to say; but any one might have foreseen, that as the colony progressed, and its commerce ...

— Expedition into Central Australia • Charles Sturt

... Gothic formality; on the other, frivolity." Later in the volume (p.191) he confines the use of humorous characters to subordinate rles; otherwise, he says, the tendency to exaggeration would easily awaken displeasure and disgust. Yet in a footnote, prompted by some misgiving as to his theory, Blankenburg admits that much is possible to genius and cites English novels where a humorous character appears with success in the leading part; thus the theorist swerves about, and implies the lack of German genius in this regard. Eberhard in his "Handbuch ...

— Laurence Sterne in Germany • Harvey Waterman Thayer

... congregation in the chapel at Chartley, in the strains of Sternhold and Hopkins, while Humfrey Talbot could not forbear from a misgiving whether these falsehoods were entirely on the side to which they were thus liberally attributed. Opposite to him stood Cicely, in her dainty Sunday farthingale of white, embroidered with violet buds, and a green and violet boddice to match, holding herself with that unconscious royal bearing ...

— Unknown to History - A Story of the Captivity of Mary of Scotland • Charlotte M. Yonge

... words made Katharine Howard angry. This poor, heavy man had other matters for misgiving than to be badgered by a woman. But the irony was lost upon the King. He said ...

— The Fifth Queen • Ford Madox Ford

... have told you what my conscience imposed on me, I am strong. See, dear, I think that I can smile. Your husband, my dear child, is a man full of delicacy. Have confidence; accept all without misgiving." ...

— Monsieur, Madame and Bebe, Complete • Gustave Droz

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