MISCONSTRUCTION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does misconstruction mean? 

• MISCONSTRUCTION (noun)
  The noun MISCONSTRUCTION has 2 senses:

1. a kind of misinterpretation resulting from putting a wrong construction on words or actions (often deliberately)

2. an ungrammatical constituent

  Familiarity information: MISCONSTRUCTION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MISCONSTRUCTION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A kind of misinterpretation resulting from putting a wrong construction on words or actions (often deliberately)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

misconstrual; misconstruction

Hypernyms ("misconstruction" is a kind of...):

misinterpretation; mistaking; misunderstanding (putting the wrong interpretation on)

Derivation:

misconstrue (interpret in the wrong way)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An ungrammatical constituent

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("misconstruction" is a kind of...):

constituent; grammatical constituent ((grammar) a word or phrase or clause forming part of a larger grammatical construction)

Antonym:

construction (a group of words that form a constituent of a sentence and are considered as a single unit)

 Context examples 

It is she who should reproach; not I. To save her from misconstruction, cruel misconstruction, that even my friends have not been able to avoid, becomes my duty.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

"I am not yet so much changed," cried Anne, and stopped, fearing she hardly knew what misconstruction.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

In the present instance, this last-arrived lady allowed her fancy to so far outrun truth and probability, that on merely hearing the name of the Miss Dashwoods, and understanding them to be Mr. Dashwood's sisters, she immediately concluded them to be staying in Harley Street; and this misconstruction produced within a day or two afterwards, cards of invitation for them as well as for their brother and sister, to a small musical party at her house.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

We are not boy and girl, to be captiously irritable, misled by every moment's inadvertence, and wantonly playing with our own happiness." And yet, a few minutes afterwards, she felt as if their being in company with each other, under their present circumstances, could only be exposing them to inadvertencies and misconstructions of the most mischievous kind.

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)