mitch

English

Alternative forms

mich, mych, myche, meech, meach
miche (obsolete)

Etymology

From Middle English michen, müchen, from Old English *myċċan (“to steal”), from Proto-Germanic *mukjaną (“to waylay, ambush, hide, rob”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)mūg- (“swindler, thief”). Cognate with Scots mich, myche (“to steal”), Saterland Frisian mogeln (“to act secretively and deceitfully”), Dutch mokkelen (“to flatter”), Alemannic German mauchen (“to nibble secretively”), German mogeln (“to cheat”), German meucheln (“to assassinate”), Norwegian i mugg (“in secret, secretly”), Latin muger (“cheater”). Related to mooch.

Pronunciation

IPA: /mɪtʃ/
Rhymes: -ɪtʃ

Verb

mitch (third-person singular simple present mitches, present participle mitching, simple past and past participle mitched)

(transitive, dialectal) To pilfer; filch; steal.
(intransitive, dialectal) To shrink or retire from view; lurk out of sight; skulk.
(Ireland, Wales) To be absent from school without a valid excuse; to play truant.
John said he was going to mitch the last lesson today.
(intransitive, dialectal) To grumble secretly.
(intransitive, dialectal) To pretend poverty.