misapply

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *mey-?

Proto-Indo-European *meyth₂-der.

Proto-Germanic *missaz

Proto-Germanic *missa-

Proto-West Germanic *missa-

Old English mis-

Middle English mys-

English mis-

Proto-Indo-European *h₂éd

Proto-Italic *ad

Proto-Italic *ad-

Latin ad-

Proto-Indo-European *pel-

Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ-der.

Latin plicō

Latin applicō

Old French applierbor.

Middle English aplien

English apply

English misapply

From mis- + apply.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌmɪsəˈplaɪ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aɪ

Verb

misapply (third-person singular simple present misapplies, present participle misapplying, simple past and past participle misapplied)

1. To apply incorrectly; to misuse.
   • 1913, Sir Frederick Pollock, Robert Campbell, Oliver Augustus Saunders, The Revised Reports:

     It may be that the jury in this case have misapplied the rule laid down by this Court, but not in favour of the defendants. I cannot help thinking they might well have held the watercourse to be the true boundary line between the two properties.