misprision

misprision
misprision (n.) "wrong action, a failure on the part of authority," early 15c., from Anglo-Fr. mesprisioun "mistake, error, wrong action or speech," from O.Fr. mesprision "mistake, wrongdoing, fault, blame, crime," from mespris, pp. of mesprendre "to mistake, act wrongly, trespass, transgress, break a law," from mes- "wrongly" (see MIS- (Cf. mis-) (2)) + prendre "take," from L. prendere, contracted from prehendere "seize" (see PREHENSILE (Cf. prehensile)).
In 16c., misprision of treason was used for lesser degrees of guilt (those not subject to capital punishment), especially for knowing of treasonable actions or plots but not informing the authorities. This led to the common supposition in legal writers that the word means "failure to denounce" a crime.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Misprision — (from Old French: mesprendre, modern French: meprendre, to misunderstand ) is a term of English law used to describe certain kinds of offence. Writers on criminal law usually divide misprision into two kinds, negative or positive. It survives in… …   Wikipedia

  • misprision — mis·pri·sion /mis pri zhən/ n [Anglo French, error, wrongdoing, from Old French, from mesprendre to make a mistake, from mes wrongly + prendre to take, from Latin prehendere to seize] 1: neglectful or wrongful performance of an official duty 2: a …   Law dictionary

  • Misprision — Mis*pri sion, n. [LL. misprisio, or OF. mesprison, prop., a mistaking, but confused with OF. mespris contempt, F. m[ e]pris. See 2d {Misprise}, {Misprize}, {Prison}.] [1913 Webster] 1. The act of misprising; misapprehension; misconception;… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • misprision — [mis prizh′ən] n. [ME mesprision < OFr < pp. of mesprendre, to take wrongly < mes ,MIS 1 + prendre < L prehendere, to take: see PREHENSILE] 1. a mistake, now especially one due to misreading, either deliberate or unintended, or to… …   English World dictionary

  • misprision — A word used to describe an offense which does not possess a specific name. United States v. Perlstein, C.C.A.N.J., 126 F.2d 789, 798. But more particularly and properly the term denotes either: (1) a contempt against the sovereign, the government …   Black's law dictionary

  • misprision — A word used to describe an offense which does not possess a specific name. United States v. Perlstein, C.C.A.N.J., 126 F.2d 789, 798. But more particularly and properly the term denotes either: (1) a contempt against the sovereign, the government …   Black's law dictionary

  • misprision — misprision1 /mis prizh euhn/, n. 1. a neglect or violation of official duty by one in office. 2. failure by one not an accessory to prevent or notify the authorities of treason or felony. 3. a contempt against the government, monarch, or courts,… …   Universalium

  • misprision — noun a) Criminal neglect of duty or wrongful execution of official duties. b) Misinterpretation or misunderstanding. See Also: misprision of felony, misprision of treason …   Wiktionary

  • misprision — 1. n. Law 1 (in full misprision of a felony or of treason) the deliberate concealment of one s knowledge of a crime, treason, etc. 2 a wrong action or omission. Etymology: ME f. AF mesprisioun f. OF mesprison error f. mesprendre to mistake (as… …   Useful english dictionary

  • MISPRISION —    a high offence under, but close upon, the degree of a capital one; misprision of treason being a concealment of a felony without consenting to it …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

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