misprision
Definition
- Noun (Legal):
- Failure to report a crime: "misprision" refers to the legal offense of failing to report or prevent a known felony or act of treason. It implies a deliberate concealment or neglect of duty rather than active participation.
- Contempt or scorn: In archaic usage, "misprision" can mean a showing of contempt or disdain, or an undervaluing of something or someone.
Usage Examples
Legal sense:
- He was charged with misprision of treason for not informing the authorities about the plot. (He failed to report a treasonous plan.)
- The witness committed misprision by hiding evidence of the robbery. (The witness concealed knowledge of a crime.)
Archaic sense:
- Her misprision of his efforts was evident in her dismissive tone. (Her contempt for his work was clear.)
Advanced Usage
"misprision of felony": a specific legal term for the failure to report a felony.
- In some jurisdictions, misprision of felony is a separate criminal offense. (Failing to report a serious crime is illegal.)
"misprision of treason": the failure to report knowledge of treasonous acts.
- The law historically treated misprision of treason as a serious crime. (Concealing treason was heavily punished.)
Variants and Related Words
- Misprisioner (n): a person who commits misprision.
- The court convicted him as a misprisioner for concealing the crime. (He was found guilty of failing to report.)
Synonyms
- Concealment: the act of hiding or withholding information.
- Non-disclosure: failure to reveal known facts.
- Contempt: disdain or scorn (archaic sense).
- Undervaluation: an underestimation of worth (archaic sense).
Related Idioms
- "To commit misprision": to fail in a legal duty to report.
- If you know of a crime and stay silent, you may commit misprision. (You could be legally liable for not reporting.)
Additional Notes
- The term is primarily used in legal contexts, especially in British and American common law. Its archaic meanings are rarely used today.