miss

[ mis ]

/ mɪs /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR miss ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to fail to hit or strike: to miss a target.

to fail to encounter, meet, catch, etc.: to miss a train.

to fail to take advantage of: to miss a chance.

to fail to be present at or for: to miss a day of school.

to notice the absence or loss of: When did you first miss your wallet?

to regret the absence or loss of: I miss you all dreadfully.

to escape or avoid: He just missed being caught.

to fail to perceive or understand: to miss the point of a remark.

verb (used without object)

to fail to hit something.

to fail of effect or success; be unsuccessful.

noun

a failure to hit something.

a failure of any kind.

an omission.

a misfire.

Verb Phrases

miss out, Chiefly British. to omit; leave out.

miss out on, to fail to take advantage of, experience, etc.: You missed out on a great opportunity.

Idioms for miss

miss fire. fire(def 52).

Origin of miss

before 900; Middle English missen, Old English missan; cognate with Old Frisian missa, Middle Low German, Middle Dutch, Old High German missen, Old Norse missa to fail to hit or reach

OTHER WORDS FROM miss

miss·a·ble, adjective un·miss·a·ble, adjective un·missed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH miss

midst missed mist

Words nearby miss

misremember, misreport, misrepresent, misrule, misrun, miss, miss a beat, miss by a mile, miss fire, miss is as good as a mile, a, miss julie

Definition for misses (2 of 3)

missis

[ mis-iz, -is ]

/ ˈmɪs ɪz, -ɪs /

noun

Older Use. wife: I'll have to ask the missis.

the mistress of a household.

Also missus.

Origin of missis

First recorded in 1780–90; variant of mistress

Definition for misses (3 of 3)

miss ²

[ mis ]

/ mɪs /

noun, plural miss·es.

(initial capital letter) a title of respect for an unmarried woman, conventionally prefixed to her name or to the name of that which she represents: Miss Mary Jones; Miss Sweden.

(used by itself, as a term of address, especially to a young woman): Miss, please bring me some ketchup.

(initial capital letter) a title prefixed to a mock surname used to represent a particular attribute of the person, especially one excessively prominent: Miss Innocent; Miss Congeniality.

a young unmarried woman; girl: a radiant miss of 18 or so.

misses,

a range of sizes, chiefly from 6 to 20, for garments that fit women of average height and build.
the department or section of a store where these garments are sold.
a garment in this size range.

Origin of miss

First recorded in 1600–10; short for mistress

usage note for miss

See Ms.

Example sentences from the Web for misses

Say sometime in 2017, President Clinton misses getting some progressive bill passed in the Senate by two votes.

The Dems’ Midterm Performance Anxiety |Michael Tomasky |October 31, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
His supporters hosted a men-only fundraiser with this admonition on the invitation: “Tell the misses not to wait up.”

The Republican War on Women Continues, Just More Quietly |Eleanor Clift |October 13, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Beyond its ahistorical bent, it also misses two other issues.

We're Still Fighting the Opium Wars |William O’Connor |August 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
One gets the feeling that Mitchum misses not only the spontaneity but the fun his generation had.

The Stacks: Mr. Bad Taste and Trouble Himself: Robert Mitchum |Robert Ward |July 19, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

He often misses my facial cues betraying shock, concern, or disappointment with the things he says.

He Bullies Kids and Calls It News |Brandy Zadrozny |June 26, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Father's about the same as usual; he misses the garden now the snow has come.

The Catholic World, Vol. X, October 1869 |Various
He misses yon tall tree, which suggests such strength, such enduring majesty.

Birds and All Nature Vol VII, No. 1, January 1900 |Various
Those bow-guns of yours will stop every shot that misses it; an the upper bridge will come down on you in three minutes.

A Fleet in Being |Rudyard Kipling
The music is usually fine, but one misses the beautiful flowers which adorn our home altars.

St. Nicholas Magazine for Boys and Girls, V. 5, April 1878 |Various
But he learns from his misses as well as from his hits, and he progresses.

Happiness and Marriage |Elizabeth (Jones) Towne

British Dictionary definitions for misses (1 of 4)

miss ¹

/ (mɪs) /

verb

to fail to reach, hit, meet, find, or attain (some specified or implied aim, goal, target, etc)

(tr) to fail to attend or be present for to miss a train; to miss an appointment

(tr) to fail to see, hear, understand, or perceive to miss a point

(tr) to lose, overlook, or fail to take advantage of to miss an opportunity

(tr) to leave out; omit to miss an entry in a list

(tr) to discover or regret the loss or absence of he missed his watch; she missed him

(tr) to escape or avoid (something, esp a danger), usually narrowly he missed death by inches

miss the boat or miss the bus to lose an opportunity

noun

a failure to reach, hit, meet, find, etc

give something a miss informal to avoid (something) give the lecture a miss; give the pudding a miss

Derived forms of miss

missable, adjective

Word Origin for miss

Old English missan (meaning: to fail to hit); related to Old High German missan, Old Norse missa

British Dictionary definitions for misses (2 of 4)

miss ²

/ (mɪs) /

noun

informal an unmarried woman or girl, esp a schoolgirl

Word Origin for miss

C17: shortened form of mistress

British Dictionary definitions for misses (3 of 4)

missis

/ (ˈmɪsɪz, -ɪs) /

noun

a variant spelling of missus

British Dictionary definitions for misses (4 of 4)

Miss

/ (mɪs) /

noun

a title of an unmarried woman or girl, usually used before the surname or sometimes alone in direct address

Word Origin for Miss

C17: shortened from mistress

Idioms and Phrases with misses

miss

In addition to the idioms beginning with miss

miss a beat
miss by a mile
miss fire
miss is as good as a mile, a
miss much
miss out on
miss the boat
miss the point

also see:

heart misses a beat
hit or miss
near miss
not miss a trick

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

miss

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Verb Phrases

Idioms for miss

Origin of miss

OTHER WORDS FROM miss

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH miss

Words nearby miss

Definition for misses (2 of 3)

noun

Origin of missis

Definition for misses (3 of 3)

noun, plural miss·es.

Origin of miss

usage note for miss

Example sentences from the Web for misses

British Dictionary definitions for misses (1 of 4)

verb

noun

Derived forms of miss

Word Origin for miss

British Dictionary definitions for misses (2 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for miss

British Dictionary definitions for misses (3 of 4)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for misses (4 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for Miss

Idioms and Phrases with misses

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

miss

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

noun

Verb Phrases

Idioms for miss

Origin of miss

OTHER WORDS FROM miss

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH miss

Words nearby miss

Definition for misses (2 of 3)

noun

Origin of missis

Definition for misses (3 of 3)

noun, plural miss·es.

Origin of miss

usage note for miss

Words related to misses

Example sentences from the Web for misses

British Dictionary definitions for misses (1 of 4)

verb

noun

Derived forms of miss

Word Origin for miss

British Dictionary definitions for misses (2 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for miss

British Dictionary definitions for misses (3 of 4)

noun

British Dictionary definitions for misses (4 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for Miss

Idioms and Phrases with misses