Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Mischief \Mis"chief\, n. [OE. meschef bad result, OF. meschief;
   pref. mes- (L. minus less) + chief end, head, F. chef chief.
   See {Minus}, and {Chief}.]
   1. Harm; damage; esp., disarrangement of order; trouble or
      vexation caused by human agency or by some living being,
      intentionally or not; often, calamity, mishap; trivial
      evil caused by thoughtlessness, or in sport. --Chaucer.

            Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs.        --Ps. lii. 2.

            The practice whereof shall, I hope, secure me from
            many mischiefs.                       --Fuller.

   2. Cause of trouble or vexation; trouble. --Milton.

            The mischief was, these allies would never allow
            that the common enemy was subdued.    --Swift.

   {To be in mischief}, to be doing harm or causing annoyance.
      

   {To make mischief}, to do mischief, especially by exciting
      quarrels.

   {To play the mischief}, to cause great harm; to throw into
      confusion. [Colloq.]

   Syn: Damage; harm; hurt; injury; detriment; evil; ill.

   Usage: {Mischief}, {Damage}, {Harm}. Damage is an injury
          which diminishes the value of a thing; harm is an
          injury which causes trouble or inconvenience; mischief
          is an injury which disturbs the order and consistency
          of things. We often suffer damage or harm from
          accident, but mischief always springs from perversity
          or folly.