miss

I [[t]mɪ̱s[/t]] USED AS A TITLE OR A FORM OF ADDRESS

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Miss

Misses

(Please look at category 5 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.)

1) N-TITLE You use Miss in front of the name of a girl or unmarried woman when you are speaking to her or referring to her.

It was nice talking to you, Miss Giroux...

Miss Singleton didn't call back, did she?...

The club was run by Miss Ivy Streeter.

2) N-VOC In some schools, children address their women teachers as Miss. [mainly BRIT]

`Chivers!' - `Yes, Miss?'

3) N-VOC People sometimes address young women as Miss. [OLD-FASHIONED]

`I wouldn't know about that, Miss,' the woman said, backing away.

4) N-TITLE Miss is used in front of the name of a place or region to refer to the young woman who has been chosen in a competition as the most beautiful woman there.

Kappy was named Miss Hawaii in 1954.

...two former Miss Scotlands.

5) Miss Right → see right

II [[t]mɪ̱s[/t]] VERB AND NOUN USES

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misses, missing, missed

(Please look at category 11 to see if the expression you are looking for is shown under another headword.)

1) VERB If you miss something, you fail to hit it, for example when you have thrown something at it or you have shot a bullet at it.

[V n] She hurled the ashtray across the room, narrowly missing my head...

When I'd missed a few times, he suggested I rest the rifle on a rock to steady it.

Ant:

hit

N-COUNT

Miss is also a noun.

After more misses, they finally put two arrows into the lion's chest.

2) VERB In sport, if you miss a shot, you fail to get the ball in the goal, net, or hole.

[V n] He scored four of the goals but missed a penalty. [Also V]

N-COUNT

Miss is also a noun.

Striker Alan Smith was guilty of two glaring misses.

3) VERB If you miss something, you fail to notice it.

[V n] From this vantage point he watched, his searching eye never missing a detail...

[V n] It's the first thing you see as you come round the corner. You can't miss it...

[V n] Sergeant Cobbins was an experienced officer and didn't miss much.

Ant:

spot

4) VERB If you miss the meaning or importance of something, you fail to understand or appreciate it.

[V n] Tambov had slightly missed the point...

[V n] She seems to have missed the joke.

Ant:

get

5) VERB If you miss a chance or opportunity, you fail to take advantage of it.

[V n] Williams knew that she had missed her chance of victory...

[V n] It was too good an opportunity to miss.

Ant:

seize

6) VERB If you miss someone who is no longer with you or who has died, you feel sad and wish that they were still with you.

[V n] Your mama and I are gonna miss you at Christmas...

[V n] He was a gentle, sensitive, lovable man who will be missed by a host of friends.

7) VERB If you miss something, you feel sad because you no longer have it or are no longer doing or experiencing it.

[V n/-ing] I could happily move back into a flat if it wasn't for the fact that I'd miss my garden...

[V n/-ing] He missed having good friends.

8) VERB If you miss something such as a plane or train, you arrive too late to catch it.

[V n] I had already missed my flight, and the next one wasn't until the following morning...

[V n] He missed the last bus home.

Ant:

catch

9) VERB If you miss something such as a meeting or an activity, you do not go to it or take part in it.

[V n] It's a pity Makku and I had to miss our lesson last week...

[V n] You won't be missing much on TV tonight apart from the usual repeats...

[V n] `Are you coming to the show?' - `I wouldn't miss it for the world.'

10) PHRASE: V inflects If you give something a miss, you decide not to do it or not to go to it. [BRIT, INFORMAL]

Do you mind if I give it a miss?

Syn:

skip

11) → See also , hit and miss, near miss

to miss the boat → see boat

to not miss a trick → see trick

Phrasal Verbs:

- miss out