Misprision of treason
(gcide) | Misprision \Mis*pri"sion\, n. [LL. misprisio, or OF. mesprison,
prop., a mistaking, but confused with OF. mespris contempt,
F. m['e]pris. See 2d Misprise, Misprize, Prison.]
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1. The act of misprising; misapprehension; misconception;
mistake. [Archaic] --Fuller.
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The misprision of this passage has aided in
fostering the delusive notion. --Hare.
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2. Neglect; undervaluing; contempt. [Obs.] --Shak.
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3. (Law) A neglect, negligence, or contempt.
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Note: In its larger and older sense it was used to signify
"every considerable misdemeanor which has not a certain
name given to it in the law." --Russell.
In a more modern sense it is applied exclusively to two
offenses:
1.
Misprision of treason, which is omission to notify the
authorities of an act of treason by a person cognizant
thereof. --Stephen.
2.
Misprision of felony, which is a concealment of a felony by
a person cognizant thereof. --Stephen.
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