mis·chie·vous / ˈmischivəs/ • adj. (of a person, animal, or their behavior) causing or showing a fondness for causing trouble in a playful way: two mischievous kittens had decorated the bed with shredded newspaper. ∎  (of an action or thing) causing or intended to cause harm or trouble: a mischievous allegation for which there is not a shred of evidence.DERIVATIVES: mis·chie·vous·ly adv.mis·chie·vous·ness n.ORIGIN: Middle English: from Anglo-Norman French meschevous, from Old French meschever ‘come to an unfortunate end’ (see mischief). The early sense was ‘unfortunate or calamitous,’ later ‘having harmful effects’; the sense ‘playfully troublesome’ dates from the late 17th cent.

mis·chief / ˈmischif/ • n. playful misbehavior or troublemaking, esp. in children: she'll make sure Danny doesn't get into mischief. ∎  playfulness that is intended to tease, mock, or create trouble: her eyes twinkled with irrepressible mischief. ∎  harm or trouble caused by someone or something: she was bent on making mischief. ∎ archaic a person responsible for harm or annoyance.

mischief † misfortune, distress XIII; harm, injury XIV; cause of harm XVI; conduct causing petty trouble, playful maliciousness XVIII. — OF. mesch(i)ef, (mod. méchef), f. meschever meet with misfortune, f. mes- MIS-2 + chever ‘come to a head’, happen:- Rom. *capāre, f. *capum, L. caput head.
So mischievous † unfortunate XIV; harmful XV; disposed to acts of playful malice XVII. — AN. meschevous, f. OE. meschever. See -OUS.

MISCHIEF

A specific injury or damage caused by another person's action or inaction. Incivil law, a person who suffered physical injury due to thenegligenceof another person could allege mischief in a lawsuit intort. For example, if a baseball is hit through a person's window by accident, and the resident within is injured, mischief can be claimed. It is distinct from malicious mischief, which is a criminal act usually involving reckless or intentional behavior such asvandalism.

Mischief ★★ 1985 (R)

Alienated youths form a friendship during James Dean's heydey. Warning: this film offers a fairly convincing recreation of the 1950s. 97m/C VHS, DVD . Doug McKeon, Catherine Mary Stewart, Kelly Preston, Chris Nash, D.W. Brown, Jami Gertz, Margaret Blye, Graham Jarvis, Terry O'Quinn; D: Mel Damski; W: Noel Black.