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mist

Pronunciation: /mɪst/
Translate mist | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of mist

noun

[mass noun]
  • a cloud of tiny water droplets suspended in the atmosphere at or near the earth’s surface that limits visibility (to a lesser extent than fog; strictly, with visibility remaining above 1 km):the peaks were shrouded in mist [in singular]:a mist rose out of the river
  • [in singular] a condensed vapour settling in fine droplets on a surface:a breeze cooled the mist of perspiration that had dampened her temples
  • [in singular] a haze or film over the eyes, especially caused by tears, and resulting in blurred vision:Ruth saw most of the scene through a mist of tears
  • [count noun] used in reference to something that blurs one’s perceptions or memory:Sardinia’s origins are lost in the mists of time

verb

  • cover or become covered with mist: [with object]:the windows of the car were misted up with condensation [no object]:the glass was beginning to mist up
  • [no object] (of a person’s eyes) become covered with a film of tears causing blurred vision:her eyes misted over with relief and joy
  • [with object] spray (something, especially a plant) with a fine cloud of water droplets: don’t mist furry-leaved plants such as African violets

Origin:

Old English, of Germanic origin; from an Indo-European root shared by Greek omikhlē 'mist, fog'

mist in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of mist in the US English dictionary

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