misconstrue

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

misconstrue
    v 1: interpret in the wrong way; "Don't misinterpret my comments
         as criticism"; "She misconstrued my remarks" [syn:
         {misconstrue}, {misinterpret}, {misconceive},
         {misunderstand}, {misapprehend}, {be amiss}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Misconstrue \Mis*con"strue\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Misconstrued};
   p. pr. & vb. n. {Misconstruing}.]
   To construe wrongly; to interpret erroneously.
   [1913 Webster]

         Do not, great sir, misconstrue his intent. --Dryden.
   [1913 Webster]

         Much afflicted to find his actions misconstrued.
                                                  --Addison.
   [1913 Webster]

from Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

48 Moby Thesaurus words for "misconstrue":
      bias, color, contort, distort, err, garble, get one wrong,
      get wrong, gloss, judge amiss, misapply, misappreciate,
      misapprehend, miscalculate, miscite, miscompute, misconceive,
      misconjecture, misdeem, misdirect, misesteem, misestimate,
      misevaluate, misexplain, misexplicate, misexpound, misinterpret,
      misjudge, misquote, misread, misreckon, misrender, misrepresent,
      mistake, misthink, mistranslate, misunderstand, misuse, misvalue,
      pervert, slant, squeeze, strain, strain the sense, torture,
      twist the words, varnish, wrench

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