mister

Noun

mister (plural misters)

1. A title conferred on an adult male, usually when the name is unknown. Also (often parent to young child) referring to a man whose name is unknown.

   You may sit here, mister.

   • 1855, George Musalas Colvocoresses, Four Years in the Government Exploring Expedition, J. M. Fairchild & co., page 358:

     Fine day to see sights, gentlemen. Well, misters, here's the railing round the ground, and there's the paling round the tomb, eight feet deep, six feet long, and three feet wide.

   • 1908, Jack Brand, By Wild Waves Tossed: An Ocean Love Story, The McClure Company, page 90:

     There's only three misters aboard this ship, or, rather, there's only two.

2. Said in a disapproving tone, a title referring to a man in the middle of a scolding or an argument, or to a boy who has done something wrong.
   • 1996, Spice Girls (band), Wannabe (song)

     God help the mister who comes between me and my sisters.

   • 2013, Asterix and the Picts, page 37

     Asterix: What? And only now you tell us?

     Obelix: I was talking to the future queen, mister Asterix!

     Asterix: And I advise you to change your tone, mister Obelix!

     Obelix: The future queen and I don't need your advice, mister Asterix! Mister Asterix gives too much advice anyway!

Verb

mister (third-person singular simple present misters, present participle mistering, simple past and past participle mistered)

1. (transitive) To address by the title of "mister".

Noun

mister (plural misters)

1. (obsolete) Someone's business or function; an occupation, employment, trade.
2. (now rare, dialectal) A kind, type of.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, I.ix:

     The Redcrosse knight toward him crossed fast, / To weet, what mister wight was so dismayd […].

3. (obsolete) Need (of something).
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter viij, in Le Morte Darthur, book VII:

     And thenne the grene knyghte kneled doune / and dyd hym homage with his swerd / thenne said the damoisel me repenteth grene knyghte of your dommage / and of youre broders dethe the black knyghte / for of your helpe I had grete myster / For I drede me sore to passe this forest / Nay drede you not sayd the grene knyghte / for ye shal lodge with me this nyghte / and to morne I shalle helpe you thorou this forest

4. (obsolete) Necessity; the necessary time.
   • 1485, Sir Thomas Malory, chapter xv, in Le Morte Darthur, book I:

     It was by Merlyns auyse said the knyghte / As for hym sayd kynge Carados / I wylle encountre with kynge bors / and ye wil rescowe me whan myster is / go on said they al / we wil do all that we may

Verb

mister (third-person singular simple present misters, present participle mistering, simple past and past participle mistered)

1. (obsolete, impersonal) To be necessary; to matter.
   • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, III.vii:

     As for my name, it mistreth not to tell; / Call me the Squyre of Dames that me beseemeth well.

Noun

mister (plural misters)

1. A device that makes or sprays mist.

   Odessa D. uses a mister Sunday to fight the 106-degree heat at a NASCAR race in Fontana, California.

Declension

Alternative forms

• mester

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /misˈtɛɾ/
• (Paulista) IPA^(key): /misˈtɛɹ/
• (South Brazil) IPA^(key): /misˈtɛɻ/

Adjective

mister (plural mister, comparable)

1. (law) of the utmost importance
2. necessary

Noun

mister m (plural misteres)

1. office, work, employment, occupation, profession
2. position in a profession
3. need; necessity

Noun

mister m (plural misters)

1. Alternative form of míster

Declension