Mis·take v. t. [imp. & obs. p. p. Mistook p. p. Mistaken p. pr. & vb. n. Mistaking.]
 1. To take or choose wrongly. [Obs. or R.]
 2. To take in a wrong sense; to misunderstand misapprehend, or misconceive; as, to mistake a remark; to mistake one's meaning.
    My father's purposes have been mistook.   --Shak.
 3. To substitute in thought or perception; as, to mistake one person for another.
    A man may mistake the love of virtue for the practice of it.   --Johnson.
 4. To have a wrong idea of in respect of character, qualities, etc.; to misjudge.
 Mistake me not so much,
 To think my poverty is treacherous.   --Shak.


 Mis·tak·ing, n. An error; a mistake.

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 mistaking
      n : putting the wrong interpretation on; "his misinterpretation
          of the question caused his error"; "there was no
          mistaking her meaning" [syn: misinterpretation, misunderstanding]