misgiven
Definition
- Verb (past participle):
- To cause doubt or anxiety: "misgiven" is the past participle of "misgive," meaning to fill with suspicion, fear, or foreboding. It is typically used in the phrase "one's heart/mind misgives one," indicating a feeling of unease or distrust about a situation.
Usage Examples
- (She felt a sudden doubt or fear.)
- (I have lingering suspicions.)
- (The clouds caused a sense of foreboding.)
Advanced Usage
"to have misgivings": While "misgiving" is a noun derived from the verb, "misgiven" as a verb form is less common; it is often replaced by the noun "misgiving" in modern English.
- Example: He had serious misgivings about the contract. (He felt strong doubts.)
Archaic or literary use: "misgiven" appears in older or poetic texts to convey a deep, instinctual warning.
- Example: My heart misgave me that all was not well. (My heart warned me of trouble.)
Variants and Related Words
Misgiving (noun): a feeling of doubt, distrust, or apprehension.
- She ignored her misgivings and went ahead. (She dismissed her doubts.)
Misgive (verb, present tense): to cause doubt or anxiety.
- His expression misgave me. (His look made me uneasy.)
Synonyms
- Doubt: a feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction.
- Foreboding: a strong feeling that something bad will happen.
- Apprehension: anxiety or fear that something unpleasant may occur.
Related Idioms
"One's heart misgives one": a fixed expression meaning to have a premonition or uneasy feeling.
- My heart misgives me about this journey. (I have a bad feeling about the trip.)
"To have a sinking feeling": a sudden sense of dread or disappointment, similar to misgiven.
- He had a sinking feeling as the news broke. (He felt a deep unease.)