miscreant

& a. [O. Fr. mescreant, from mes-mis-, and creant believing; Lat. credo; Fr. mécréant; Ital. miscredente.] A. As substantive: *1. Originally, one believing wrongly; an infidel, a misbeliever. "The consort and the principal servants of Soliman had been honorably restored without ransom; and the emperor's generosity to the miscreant was interpreted as treason to the Christian cause." -Gibbon : Decline and Fall, ch. lviii. 2. A vile wretch, a scoundrel, a detestable villain. B. As adjective: *1. Misbelieving, infidel. 2. Abandoned, vile. "For men like these on earth he shall not find In all the miscreant race of human kind." Pope: Homer's Ody ey, xvii. 667. *mis-crě-āte, mis crě-āted, a . [Pref. mis- , and Eng. created (q. v.).] 1. Created or formed unnaturally, or improperly; deformed, shapele . "What art thou, execrable shape! That darest, though grim and terrible, advance Thy miscreated front?" Milton: P. L., ii. 683. 2. Illegitimate. "With opening titles miscreate , whose right Suits not in native colors with the truth." Shakesp.: Henry V. , i. 2. *mis-crě-ā-tion, s . [Pref. mis- , and Eng. crea tion (q. v.).] Wrong making. "Imps of our own miscreation ." C. Kingsley: Life. *mis-crě-ātive, a . [Pref. mis- , and Eng. crea tive (q. v.).] Creating or forming wrongly or ami . *mis-cre-dent, s . [Pref. mis- , and Lat.credens, pr. par. of credo to believe.] A misbeliever, an infidel, a miscreant. "Your sermon to us of a dungeon appointed for offenders and miscredents." -Holinshed: Description of Ireland, ch. iv. *mis-crěd-It, v . t . [Pref. mis- , and Eng. credit , v. (q.v.)] Τo disbelieve. "The miscredited twelve hasten back."- Carlyle : Fr. Revolution, pt. i., bk. vii., ch. vii. *mis-crě-du-li-ty, s. [Pref. mis- , and Eng. cre dulity (q.v.).] Erroneous or wrongly directed credulity or belief; misbelief. "We cannot but justly tax the mis credulity of those who will rather trust to the Church than to the scripture." Bp. Hall: Select Thoughts , § 6. *mis-creed', subst . [Pref. mis- , and Eng. creed (q. V.).] A false creed or religion.' "Spoil his creation for a fierce miscreed ." Keats. (Ann andale.) *mis-dāin', v . t. [Pref. mis-, and Eng. dain deign.] To misdeem, to misrepresent. mis-dāte', v . t . [Pref. mis- , and Eng. date , s. (q. v.).] To date wrongly; to affix a wrong date to. IMG:content-1258.png:[blocks in formation] misdiet mis-date', 8. [Pref. mis-, and Eng. date. s. (q. v.)] A wrong date. *mis-dâub', v . t . [Pref. mis-, and Eng. daub , v. (q. v.)] To daub unskillfully; to spoil by daubing. "Misdaubed with some untempered and lately-laid mor tar."-Bp. Hall: Letter to a Worthy Knight.