Mis·chief n.
 1. Harm; damage; esp., disarrangement of order; trouble or vexation caused by human agency or by some living being, intentionally or not; often, calamity, mishap; trivial evil caused by thoughtlessness, or in sport.
    Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs.   --Ps. lii. 2.
    The practice whereof shall, I hope, secure me from many mischiefs.   --Fuller.
 2. Cause of trouble or vexation; trouble.
    The mischief was, these allies would never allow that the common enemy was subdued.   --Swift.
 To be in mischief, to be doing harm or causing annoyance.
 To make mischief, to do mischief, especially by exciting quarrels.
 To play the mischief, to cause great harm; to throw into confusion. [Colloq.]
 Syn: -- Damage; harm; hurt; injury; detriment; evil; ill.
 Usage: -- Mischief, Damage, Harm. Damage is an injury which diminishes the value of a thing; harm is an injury which causes trouble or inconvenience; mischief is an injury which disturbs the order and consistency of things.  We often suffer damage or harm from accident, but mischief always springs from perversity or folly.