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Webster 1913 Edition

Misgive

Mis-give′

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp.
Misgave
;
p. p.
Misgiven
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Misgiving
.]
1.
To give or grant amiss.
[Obs.]
Laud.
2.
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.
Shakespeare
Such whose consciences
misgave
them, how ill they had deserved.
Milton.
3.
To suspect; to dread.
[Obs.]
Shak.

Mis-give′

,
Verb.
I.
To give out doubt and apprehension; to be fearful or irresolute.
“My mind misgives.”
Shak.

Webster 1828 Edition

Misgive

MISGIVE

,
Verb.
T.
misgiv'. [See Give.] To fill with doubt; to deprive of confidence; to fail; usually applied to the heart.
So doth my heart misgive me.
His heart misgave him.
1.
To give or grant amiss. [Not in use.]

Definition 2024

misgive

misgive

English

Verb

misgive ‎(third-person singular simple present misgives, present participle misgiving, simple past misgave, past participle misgiven)

  1. (transitive, archaic) to give fear or doubt to; to make irresolute
    • 1591, William Shakespeare, The Third Part of King Henry the Sixth, IV.vi
      As Henry's late presaging prophecy
      Did glad my heart with hope of this young Richmond,
      So doth my heart misgive me, in these conflicts,
      What may befall him to his harm and ours.
    • Milton
      Such whose consciences misgave them, how ill they had deserved.
  2. (transitive, archaic) To suspect; to dread.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
  3. (transitive, archaic) To give wrongly; to give or grant amiss.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Laud to this entry?)

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