mistake

an honest mistake

A mistake made unintentionally or unknowingly and without the intention of causing harm; a mistake that anyone might have made in similar circumstances. It was an honest mistake! How was I to know that you wouldn't want me to send that letter with the rest of the mail?
See also: honest, mistake

and no mistake

A phrase used to emphasize the statement that precedes it. She's a lovely woman and no mistake.
See also: and, mistake, no

by mistake

Accidentally; unintentionally. I am so sorry, sir—I gave you the wrong dish by mistake. Oh, they hung up—they called the wrong number by mistake.
See also: by, mistake

everybody makes mistakes

Used as a means of consoling or mitigating judgment against someone because of a mistake they made. A: "I'm sorry I screwed up our presentation today." B: "Hey, everybody makes mistakes. It's not the end of the world or anything." Try not to be too harsh on the intern, OK? Everybody makes mistakes, and besides, it's his first week on the job.
See also: everybody, make, mistake

everyone makes mistakes

Used as a means of consoling or mitigating judgment against someone because of a mistake they made. A: "I'm sorry I screwed up our presentation today." B: "Hey, everyone makes mistakes. It's not the end of the world or anything." Try not to be too harsh on the intern, OK? Everyone makes mistakes, and besides, it's his first week on the job.
See also: everyone, make, mistake

if you don't make mistakes, you don't make anything

proverb Engaging in creative work will always result in mistakes; doing nothing is the only way to avoid making mistakes. Of course you'll make mistakes if you start your own business, but if you don't make mistakes, you don't make anything.
See also: anything, if, make

in mistake for (something)

Mistaking one thing for something else. Manufacturers are being forced to package laundry detergent pods in childproof packaging, following a number of incidents in which young children have eaten the small, colorful products in mistake for candy. The defendant claims he simply grabbed the bag of narcotics in mistake for his own.
See also: mistake

make a mistake

To do something incorrectly or erroneously; to make an error of some kind. Look, I made a mistake—I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions and blamed you for what happened. We've all made mistakes, but it's important to own up to them and learn from what happened.
See also: make, mistake

make no mistake

What I have said or am about to say is absolutely certain; do not think otherwise. Make no mistake, I intend to take this all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to. Make no mistake, this was a carefully orchestrated crime—not some amateur job.
See also: make, mistake, no

make no mistake about it

What I have said or am about to say is absolutely certain; do not think otherwise. I intend to take this all the way to the Supreme Court if I have to. Make no mistake about it. Make no mistake about it, this was a carefully orchestrated crime—not some amateur job.
See also: make, mistake, no

mistake (someone or something) for (someone or something)

To confuse someone or something for someone or something else. I always mistake Kelly for her sister. They just look so much alike!
See also: mistake

mix (one) up with (someone)

1. To confuse or mistake one person for another. I always mix Kelly up with her younger sister—they look so much alike! Sorry, I think I'm mixing him up with someone from the accounting team.
2. To involve or embroil one with some other person, especially someone who is problematic, unpleasant, dangerous, etc. Often used in passive constructions. I heard Tom's gotten mixed up with some pretty shady people since he moved to New York City. I don't want you mixing Sarah up with any troublemakers, you hear me?
See also: mix, up

there's no mistaking (someone or something)

Someone or something is clearly and easily recognizable or identifiable. Justine left this note: there's no mistaking her handwriting. You should see him standing next to the ticket desk at the station—he's wearing a bright pink fedora, so there's no mistaking him.
See also: mistake, no

we all make mistakes

Used as a means of consoling or mitigating judgment against someone because of a mistake they made. A: "I'm sorry I screwed up our presentation today." B: "Hey, we all make mistakes. It's not the end of the world or anything." Try not to be too harsh on the intern, OK? We all make mistakes, and besides, it's his first week on the job.
See also: all, make, mistake, we
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

by mistake

in error; accidentally. I'm sorry. I came into the wrong room by mistake. I chose the wrong road by mistake. Now we are lost.
See also: by, mistake

If you don't make mistakes, you don't make anything.

Prov. If you try to do something, you will likely make mistakes.; The only way to make no mistakes is to avoid trying to do anything. (Can be used to console someone who has made a mistake.) Alan: I'm sorry there's no dessert. I tried to make a cake, but I messed it up. Jane: That's OK, dear; if you don't make mistakes, you don't make anything. It's a shame that you ruined the sweater you were making, but if you don't make mistakes, you don't make anything.
See also: anything, if, make

make a mistake

to commit an error; to do something wrong accidentally. I made a mistake and I am really sorry about it.
See also: make, mistake

Make no mistake (about it)!

Inf. Do not be mistaken! You can be certain. Sally: I'm very angry with you! Make no mistake about it! Fred: Whatever it's about, I'm sorry. Clerk: Make no mistake, this is the finest carpet available. Sally: I'd like something a little less fine, I think.
See also: make, no

mistake (someone) for (someone else)

 and mix (someone) up with (someone else)
to confuse someone with someone else; to think that one person is another person. I'm sorry. I mistook you for John. Tom is always mistaking Bill for me. We don't look a thing alike, though. Try not to mix Bill up with Bob, his twin.
See also: mistake

mistake (something) for (something else)

 and mix (something) up with (something else)
to confuse two things with each other. Please don't mix this idea up with that one. I mistook my book for yours.
See also: mistake

mix someone up with someone else Go to mistake someone for someone

else.
See also: else, go, mistake, mix, up

mix something up with something else Go to mistake something for something

else.
See also: else, go, mistake, mix, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

by mistake

Erroneously, as in He took my coat by mistake. [c. 1700]
See also: by, mistake

make no mistake

Have no doubt, certainly, as in Make no mistake-I'll vote Republican no matter who runs. [Mid-1800s] Also see get someone wrong.
See also: make, mistake, no

mistake for

Take someone or something for someone or something else, as in I'm sorry, I mistook you for her sister, or Don't mistake that friendly smile for good intentions; he's a tough competitor. [c. 1600]
See also: mistake
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

and no mistake

without any doubt. informal
1993 Sam McAughtry Touch & Go He was a headcase and no mistake.
See also: and, mistake, no

make no mistake (about it)

do not be deceived into thinking otherwise. informal
1974 Times Make no mistake. We had a major work of television last night.
See also: make, mistake, no

there is no mistaking someone or something

it is impossible not to recognize someone or something.
See also: mistake, no, someone, something, there
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

and ˈno mistake!

(old-fashioned, especially British English) used to show that you are sure about the truth of what you have just said: The dinner party was a disaster, and no mistake!
See also: and, no

by miˈstake

accidentally; without intending to: I took your bag instead of mine by mistake.
See also: by, mistake

in miˈstake for something

thinking that something is something else: Children may eat pills in mistake for sweets.
See also: mistake, something

ˌmake no miˈstake (about something)

(spoken) used to emphasize what you are saying, especially when you want to warn somebody about something: Make no mistake (about it), this is one crisis that won’t just go away.
See also: make, mistake, no

there’s no miˈstaking somebody/something

somebody/something is easy to recognize; something is obvious: There’s no mistaking her voice — she’s got a very strong Scottish accent. There’s no mistaking the new mood of optimism in the country.
See also: mistake, no, somebody, something
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

mistake for

v.
To wrongly perceive that someone or something is someone or something else: I'm sorry to have bothered you—I mistook you for a friend of mine. Don't mistake the poison ivy for a box elder vine!
See also: mistake
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.

Make no mistake (about it)!

sent. an expression signifying the sincerity of the speaker’s previous statements. Make no mistake! This is the real thing.
See also: make, mistake, no

Make no mistake !

verb
See Make no mistake about it!
See also: make, no
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • an honest mistake
  • make it (to something or some place)
  • make it some place
  • make it to
  • made for
  • be made for (someone or something)
  • be made that way
  • have (something) made
  • have it made
  • have made
References in periodicals archive
The result: They succeeded in detecting, quantifying and analyzing all the mistakes in cells' proteins, down to the composition of individual amino acids.
Weizmann Wonder Wander: Mistaken but Not Always Wrong: Protein Errors Are under Control; Mapping where these errors occur was a feat they said couldn't be done. It turns out many are not random
The CSS 2019 examination had two mistakes in the English precis and composition paper.
CSS papers
Last week, International Development Secretary Mr Stewart said: "I think it was a very stupid mistake and I did it 15 years ago, and I actually went on in Iran to see the damage that opium was doing to communities."
Gove had cocaine several times
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He said the first mistake made was the backing of the Lon Nol coup, while the second was supporting the Khmer Rouge taking Cambodia's seat at the UN.
PM calls on West to learn from past and avoid a 'third mistake'
But remember that while it may take several of the same mistakes to learn, we eventually do.
Yay, Failure --Hooray, Mt.staka!
I'm not going to be stupid and make the same mistake. We have to learn from our mistakes.
beck in anger; Keeper's relief as Reds bag another three points despite shocking error
On Tuesday, NTU Hospital officials held a news conference at which they apologized to the patients and their families for the mistake.
National Taiwan University Hospital apologizes for two post-dialysis deaths
The mistake, painted in big yellow letters on the road outside Woodslee Primary inWirral, was made by council-hired staff, who were close but not close enough with their attempt, which read "SOHOOL".
'You had one job!' - council contractors produce 'EPIC' road markings fail outside school; This employee might need to back to school..
What do companies do when an employee makes a mistake, sometimes with dire consequences?
Learning from mistakes - case studies
Admitting its mistake, the FTC revised its release to announce it once again on Tuesday, Labor Day holiday.
FTC criticized for listing deceased as chaebol head
Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed remarked ?f the mistake is dealt with sternly then Sheikh Rashid will become out.
SC reserves judgment on petition seeking disqualification of Sheikh Rashid
Feeling the pain of failure leads to more effort to correct your mistake than simply thinking about what went wrong, according to a study from the University of Kansas, Lawrence; Stanford (Calif.) University; and Ohio State University, Columbus.
Want to Rebound from Failure? Feel the Pain
Mistake Number 1: Reducing farmers to a cliche, over-simplified into a stereotype.
Rhea+Kaiser
416.26 AFFIRMATIVE DEFENSE--UNILATERAL MISTAKE OF FACT
Amendment to jury instructions in contracts and business cases