misconceive

English

Etymology

From Middle English misconceiven, equivalent to mis- +‎ conceive.

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌmɪskənˈsiːv/

Verb

misconceive (third-person singular simple present misconceives, present participle misconceiving, simple past and past participle misconceived)

1. To misunderstand.
   • 1694, William Congreve, The Double-Dealer

     Nay, misconceive me not, madam, when I say I have had a gen'rous and a faithful passion, which you had never favoured, but through revenge and policy.

2. To judge or plan badly, typically on the basis of faulty misunderstanding.
   • 2024 February 7, Christian Wolmar, “LNER's crazy idea will price more people off the railway”, in RAIL, number 1002, page 45:

     HS2 has never had that. It was missold, misnamed and misconceived. It was promoted as a piece of engineering, rather than as a vital part of the railway.

Derived terms

• misconception