The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Mischief \Mis"chief\ (m[i^]s"ch[i^]f), n. [OE. meschef bad
   result, OF. meschief; pref. mes- (L. minus less) + chief end,
   head, F. chef chief. See Minus, and Chief.]
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   1. Harm; damage; esp., disarrangement of order; trouble or
      vexation caused by human agency or by some living being,
      intentionally or not; often, calamity, mishap; trivial
      evil caused by thoughtlessness, or in sport. --Chaucer.
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            Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs.        --Ps. lii. 2.
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            The practice whereof shall, I hope, secure me from
            many mischiefs.                       --Fuller.
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   2. Cause of trouble or vexation; trouble. --Milton.
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            The mischief was, these allies would never allow
            that the common enemy was subdued.    --Swift.
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   To be in mischief, to be doing harm or causing annoyance.


   To make mischief, to do mischief, especially by exciting
      quarrels.

   To play the mischief, to cause great harm; to throw into
      confusion. [Colloq.]
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   Syn: Damage; harm; hurt; injury; detriment; evil; ill.

   Usage: Mischief, Damage, Harm. Damage is an injury
          which diminishes the value of a thing; harm is an
          injury which causes trouble or inconvenience; mischief
          is an injury which disturbs the order and consistency
          of things. We often suffer damage or harm from
          accident, but mischief always springs from perversity
          or folly.
          [1913 Webster]