amiss

Pronunciation

The IPA phonetic spelling for "amiss" is:

• əˈmɪs

Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:

• am (ə)

• ə (schwa): a central vowel sound, very short and neutral, like the "uh" sound in "but"

• iss (ˈmɪs)

• ˈ (stress marker): indicates primary stress on this syllable

• m (voiced bilabial consonant): the sound "m" as in "man"

• ɪ (near-close near-front unrounded vowel): a short vowel sound close to the "i" in "bit"

• s (voiceless alveolar fricative): the hissing sound "s" as in "sip"

Word Form Variations

The word "amiss" is interesting because it doesn't actually have different forms based on things like singular or plural. It functions as both an adjective and an adverb, and the word itself stays the same in both cases.

• Adjective: "There's something amiss in the kitchen." (describes the state of the kitchen)

• Adverb: "He spoke amiss and offended his friend." (describes the manner of speaking)

There are no conjugations or verb tenses associated with "amiss" either. It's a single word that serves various purposes without changing its form.

Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms

Adjective:

• Definition: Not functioning or existing as expected; faulty, wrong, or out of order.

• Synonyms: incorrect, improper, defective, flawed, askew, awry, wrongheaded, mistaken, inappropriate.

• Antonyms: correct, proper, functional, flawless, perfect, ideal.

Adverb:

• Definition: In a way that is incorrect, improper, or unfortunate.

• Synonyms: incorrectly, improperly, wrongly, mistakenly, unfortunately, inappropriately.

• Antonyms: correctly, properly, rightly, fortunately, appropriately.

Examples of Use

Here are several real-world examples of use for the word "amiss":

Literature:

• Book: "He felt a growing disquiet, a sense that something was amiss." (J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets)

Newspapers:

• Headline: "Police Investigate After Reports of Something Amiss at Local Factory" (Chicago Tribune)

Online Publications:

• Tech Blog: "If you're experiencing error messages, there might be something amiss with your software installation." (CNET)

Entertainment Mediums:

• Movie: "There's something rotten in the state of Denmark." (Hamlet, quoted in the film The Lion King)

• TV Show: "I just have a feeling something's amiss with this whole situation." (Character dialogue in a crime drama)

General Public Discourse:

• Social Media: "My car wouldn't start this morning - definitely something amiss there!" (Social media post)

• Conversation: "Her usual chipper mood was absent today. I wonder if something's amiss." (Informal conversation between friends)

10 Famous Quotes Using the term Amiss

1. "There's a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in." (Leonard Cohen, musician) - A play on words, suggesting that even when things seem amiss, there can be positive outcomes.

2. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." (Edmund Burke, philosopher) - Highlights the importance of action when something feels wrong.

3. "Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd." (Voltaire, philosopher) - Expresses that sometimes a sense of something amiss can lead to a more nuanced understanding.

4. "There's something rotten in the state of Denmark." (William Shakespeare, Hamlet) - A classic line indicating a sense of something being fundamentally wrong.

5. "A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in." (Gaelic proverb) - Speaks to the importance of taking action even if the benefits won't be immediately apparent, suggesting something might be amiss in a purely self-serving society.

6. "If something is wrong, fix it. If it's broken, mend it." (African proverb) - A call to address problems when something feels amiss.

7. "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." (Socrates, philosopher) - Acknowledges that sometimes a feeling of something amiss can be a sign of a lack of knowledge.

8. "The unexamined life is not worth living." (Socrates, philosopher) - Similar to the previous quote, suggests that a sense of something amiss can be a prompt for self-reflection.

9. "The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires." (William Arthur Ward, educationalist) - Highlights the importance of going beyond simply identifying something amiss and inspiring action or understanding.

10. "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." (Margaret Mead, anthropologist) - Speaks to the power of addressing what feels amiss, even if it starts with a small group.

Etymology

The word "amiss" is like a detective story with a blurry past. Experts believe it likely came from a Viking word, "ā mis," which means "so as to miss" or "going astray."

The first time we see "amiss" being used in English was around 1275. Back then, it meant something closer to "sinful" or "wrongdoing." Over time, the meaning softened to describe something that's simply not quite right, out of order, or unexpected.

Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Amiss

• Take something amiss: To be offended by something that wasn't meant to cause offense. (e.g., "I hope you won't take it amiss if I leave early.")

• Something is amiss: There's something wrong or something unexpected happening. (e.g., "The silence in the house made me feel like something was amiss.")

• Not go amiss: Something would be helpful or beneficial. (e.g., "A little extra help wouldn't go amiss with this project.")

• All is amiss: Everything is wrong or out of order. (e.g., "After the storm, all was amiss in the garden.")

• Set something amiss: To cause something to go wrong or malfunction. (e.g., "Leaving the window open all night might have set something amiss with the air conditioning.")

Posts Related to Amiss

Source Information

Definition of amiss from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.