err
Miss the mark
To err is to make a mistake or be incorrect: To err is human, to forgive divine.
The word is somewhat formal or literary.
It can also mean to stray from a standard: err on the side of caution means to make the safer choice when uncertain.
The pronunciation with a short "e" (like "air") is traditional; rhyming with "fur" is now equally common.
Foolish, costly mistake
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- misstepError in action or judgment
- slipMinor error or misstep
- gaffeClumsy social error
faux pas · flub · miscalculation · misjudgment · lapse · bungle · botch · miscue
Understand incorrectly
- misinterpretUnderstand something incorrectly
- misreadInterpret text incorrectly
- misunderstandGrasp incorrectly
- misapprehendGrasp incorrectly
misconceive · miscalculate · misjudge · misperceive · misestimate · mistake · confuse · get wrong
Violation of divine law
- transgressViolate a boundary
- fallDescend under gravity
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
- lapseBrief failure or expiration
stray from the path · temptation · wayward · go astray · fall from grace · trespass
Wander from course
- deviateTurn from course
- divergeSeparate into directions
- wanderMove without fixed direction
- driftGradual movement, no direction
veer · depart · digress · swerve · go astray · lose one's way · anomaly · divergence
Liability to err
- imperfectionFault or shortcoming
- weaknessDeficiency in force
- frailtyWeakness of body
- limitationBound on extent
flaw · shortcoming · vulnerability · susceptible · fallible · mortal · imprecise · inexact
blunder
Foolish, costly mistake
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
- misstepError in action or judgment
- slipMinor error or misstep
gaffe · faux pas · flub · miscalculation · misjudgment · lapse · bungle · botch · miscue · stumble
misconstrue
Understand incorrectly
- misinterpretUnderstand something incorrectly
- misreadInterpret text incorrectly
- misunderstandGrasp incorrectly
misapprehend · misconceive · miscalculate · misjudge · misperceive · misestimate · mistake · confuse · get wrong · miss the point
sin
Violation of divine law
- transgressViolate a boundary
- fallDescend under gravity
- wrongdoingUnethical or illegal action
lapse · stray from the path · temptation · wayward · go astray · fall from grace · trespass
stray
Wander from course
drift · veer · depart · digress · swerve · go astray · lose one's way · anomaly · divergence · discrepancy
fallibility
Liability to err
- imperfectionFault or shortcoming
- weaknessDeficiency in force
- frailtyWeakness of body
limitation · flaw · shortcoming · vulnerability · susceptible · fallible · mortal · imprecise · inexact
bug
Crawling creature or defect
- glitchMinor system fault
- malfunctionFailure to operate properly
- faultImperfection or blame
failure · corruption · crash · exception · defect · debug · invalid · incorrect
- trial and errorLearning through repeated attempts
- billing errorIncorrect charge on statement
- disk errorStorage medium malfunction
- run an errandComplete a small task away
- margins of errorAllowable deviation in measurements
- fool's errandHopeless, pointless task
error, errand, erratic, errors, erring, errant, aberration, unerring, aberrant