misgive Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb suggest fear or doubt
    • Her heart misgave her that she had acted inexcusably

WordNet

Mis*give" transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect Misgave ; past participle Misgiven ; present participle & verbal noun Misgiving
Definitions
  1. To give or grant amiss. Obs. Laud.
  2. Specifically: To give doubt and apprehension to, instead of confidence and courage; to impart fear to; to make irresolute; -- usually said of the mind or heart, and followed by the objective personal pronoun.
    So doth my heart misgive me in these conflicts What may befall him, to his harm and ours. Shak.
    Such whose consciences misgave them, how ill they had deserved. Milton.
  3. To suspect; to dread. Obs. Shak.
Mis*give" intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To give out doubt and apprehension; to be fearful or irresolute. "My mind misgives." Shak.

Webster 1913