Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

mislay

/mɪsˈleɪ/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.28 in modern English

Syllables: mis-lay
IPA: /mɪsˈleɪ/

11

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To leave or lay something in the wrong place and then forget where one put it.

Transitive verb

verb

To err in placing something.

Obsolete; Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"He cannot see well, mislays his glasses, and frequently mismends the nets."
"[F]ire, if it be well and rightly vſed, burneth in the houſe to the good and pꝛofit of the familie: but if miſlayed oꝛ abuſed, burneth the houſe to the vndoing of the inhabitantes: […]"
"You haue miſ-caſt in your Arithmetike, / Miſ-laid your Counters, groapingly yee ſeeke / In nights blacke darknes for the ſecret things / Seal’d in the Casket of the King of Kings; […]"
"First, Scio cui credidi, I know whom I have believed in: I have not mislaid my foundation; my foundation is Christ; […]"
"Oh heavens! her grief miſlayes her noble reaſon, what ſhall we do"
"This being ſo that Defects and Weakneſs in Mens Underſtandings, as well as other Faculties, come from want of a right uſe of their own Minds, I am apt to think the fault is generally miſlaid upon Nature, and there is often a Complaint of want of Parts when the fault lies in want of a due improvement of them."

Etymology

From Middle English mysse layen, equivalent to mis- + lay.

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Prefix: mis
Root: mysse layen

Usage

Inflected Forms

mislays (present, singular) mislaying (participle, present) mislaid (participle, past) mislaid (past)

Derived Forms

mislayal mislayer mislaying

Synonyms

misplace

Rhymes With

they me way may day say all-day away play day by day today pay

Questions

How do you pronounce mislay?: The recorded pronunciation is /mɪsˈleɪ/.
What does mislay mean?: To leave or lay something in the wrong place and then forget where one put it.
Where does mislay come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce mislay

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “mislay”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/mɪsˈleɪ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “mislay”.
Repeat and practice — Say “mislay” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.