miscount

Everyday

1. To count wrongly; to make a mistake when counting. tree →
2. (noun) A wrong count, especially of votes: «There was a miscount in the election». tree →

In the lessons

In maths, miscounting is a common mistake: missing an object or counting one twice. Tips: touch or tick each object, count in groups. In elections, a miscount can lead to a recount. In sport, a referee may miscount the players or the seconds. Phrases: «miscount the votes», «a recount after a miscount».

Examples

• I miscounted the sweets and gave myself one extra. tree →
• The teacher miscounted and thought someone was missing. tree →
• There was a miscount, so they counted the votes again. tree →
• Tick each one so you don't miscount. tree →
• She miscounted the stitches in her knitting. tree →
• If you miscount by one, the whole pattern goes wrong. tree →
• The referee miscounted the substitutes. tree →
• We miscounted the days until the holiday – it's actually ten! tree →
• ‘The Seagull must have miscounted,’ thought he, and he paid for his beer. tree →

Note

Regular verb: miscounted. Noun «a miscount» is countable. «Mis-» means wrongly. In maths problems, an «off by one» miscount is common: from 3 to 10 inclusive there are 8 numbers, not 7.