amiss
/əˈmɪs/ (bre, ipa) · /əˈmɪs/ (ame, ipa) · /ə-ˈmis/ (ame, mw)
amiss — adjective
- amisspositive
- more amisscomparative
- most amisssuperlative
1. If something is amiss, there is a problem with it — it is not the way it should
If something is amiss, there is a problem with it — it is not the way it should be, not working correctly, or not fitting the situation.
Theo sensed something was amiss when he saw the front door standing wide open.
collocation: something is amiss
Dr. Okafor checked every instrument twice but found nothing amiss in the laboratory.
collocation: nothing amiss
The children fell silent all at once, and Fatima knew immediately that something was amiss.
Jamal's bank statement listed a large withdrawal he had never made — clearly something was amiss.
Everything looked tidy from the doorway, but once inside Priyanka saw several things were amiss.
文法句型
something is amiss
nothing is amiss
there is something amiss
用法筆記
Almost always used after a linking verb (be, seem, feel, look). Never placed before a noun — you cannot say 'an amiss situation.' Common in the pattern 'something/nothing is amiss.'
常見錯誤
2. If you say that something would not go amiss, you mean it would be useful, pleas
If you say that something would not go amiss, you mean it would be useful, pleasant, or helpful in the present situation.
A hot cup of tea would not go amiss after trudging through the rain for an hour.
phrase pattern: would not go amiss
Elena felt a simple thank-you from the manager would not have gone amiss.
After shifting heavy boxes all morning, a cold drink and a short break would not go amiss.
A little extra practice before the final match would not go amiss, Kwame told the team.
More honesty in the official report would not have gone amiss, the investigator remarked.
- welcome
more direct and common; can stand alone as an adjective
- handy
more informal; suggests practical usefulness in the moment
- appreciated
focuses on the feeling of gratitude rather than usefulness
文法句型
something would not go amiss
something might not go amiss
用法筆記
Always appears as 'not go amiss,' almost always with 'would' or 'might.' You never say 'it went amiss' to mean useful — the negative is essential.
常見錯誤
3. If you take something amiss, you feel hurt or offended by what someone said or d
If you take something amiss, you feel hurt or offended by what someone said or did, especially when that person may not have meant any harm.
Sven took it amiss when his new colleague made a joke about his accent.
phrase pattern: take it amiss
Please do not take this amiss, but I think you may have misread the instructions.
Amara took the remark amiss, though her friend had spoken without any ill intent.
The elderly gentleman took it amiss that nobody had offered him a seat on the bus.
Hana gave frank advice with a warm smile, hoping her words would not be taken amiss.
- take offence
the most common and direct equivalent in modern English
- resent
stronger; implies a lasting feeling of bitterness or injustice
- feel slighted
suggests feeling disrespected or not valued, often in social situations
文法句型
take something amiss
take it amiss
be taken amiss
用法筆記
Always takes the form 'take (something) amiss.' The object can be 'it,' 'the remark,' 'the comment,' or the actual words that caused offence. Sometimes used in the passive: 'be taken amiss.'
常見錯誤
amiss — adverb
1. In a mistaken or incorrect manner; doing something the wrong way by accident or
In a mistaken or incorrect manner; doing something the wrong way by accident or poor judgement.
Theo soon realised he had read the hiking map amiss and was heading north instead of south.
adverb modifying verb: read amiss
Nurse Adebayo judged the patient's rash amiss — it was shingles, not a simple allergy.
Diego entered the figures amiss, and the monthly accounts failed to balance.
Nadia worried she had understood the doctor's instructions amiss and called to double-check.
The old grandfather clock had been set amiss and chimed two hours too early.
- wrongly
more common and natural in modern everyday English
- incorrectly
neutral and direct; often used for factual errors
- mistakenly
emphasises that the error came from a wrong belief or assumption
- correctly
in the right way, without mistakes
用法筆記
Formal and now somewhat old-fashioned. In everyday speech, most people would use 'wrongly' or 'incorrectly' instead.
常見錯誤
2. Away from the intended path, target, or expected course — used for things that p
Away from the intended path, target, or expected course — used for things that physically stray or for plans that go wrong.
The archer's first arrow flew amiss and lodged in the trunk of a nearby oak.
adverb of direction: fly amiss
Rebecca kicked the football hard, but it went amiss and rolled into the flower bed.
The letter had gone amiss in the post and never reached its intended recipient.
Yara's well-laid plans went amiss when the funding was pulled at the last moment.
Chidi aimed at the wicket, but the ball went amiss and scattered a pile of leaves.
- astray
very close in meaning; 'go astray' is the more common modern phrase
- off target
more concrete and physical; used for things that miss a literal mark
- awry
used more often for plans or events than for physical objects
- true
in the correct direction; 'the arrow flew true'
用法筆記
Literary or old-fashioned in modern English. Distinguish from adjective sense 2 ('not go amiss' = be welcome): here 'go amiss' without 'not' means 'go astray' or 'go wrong.'
常見錯誤
3. In a faulty or imperfect way — used when a machine, device, or process functions
In a faulty or imperfect way — used when a machine, device, or process functions but not quite as it should.
The old printer was working amiss, leaving faint grey streaks across every page.
collocation: working amiss
Ingrid's voice came out amiss on the recording — thin, crackly, and barely audible.
The factory machine ran amiss all morning, turning out lids that did not quite fit.
Mei-Lin noticed the stitching on the left cuff had been done amiss and asked for a replacement.
Something in the boat engine was running amiss, judging by the low rattling sound.
- faultily
more technical-sounding; stresses that there is a specific defect
- imperfectly
neutral; simply means not without flaws
- badly
more general and informal; covers a wide range of poor performance
用法筆記
Often used with verbs like 'work,' 'run,' or 'go' to describe faulty operation. In modern speech, 'not working properly' or 'acting up' is far more common.