Literary notes about Mischievous (AI summary)
Writers deploy “mischievous” to evoke a spectrum of meanings—from light-hearted, playful teasing to a more subtle, even ironic, form of subversion. Its use can highlight the impish glimmer in a character’s eyes, as when a subtle misbehavior is hinted at through a knowing glance [1] or a twinkle that signals both humor and hidden intent [2]. The term also extends to nature and folklore, where it imbues the environment with a sense of capriciousness and enchantment, much like a wind that playfully disrupts the order of things [3]. In depictions of youth or wild spirits, “mischievous” encapsulates both the charm and the troublemaking of characters whose antics invite both laughter and a touch of caution [4].
- “You don't like to be put out of your old way,” returned he, with a mischievous glance.
— from Roughing It in the Bush by Susanna Moodie - “I quite understand your position,” said Holmes, with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.
— from The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle - The mischievous South wind was blowing; it disarrayed the hair, it whispered in the ear, and stirred the music in the blood.
— from The Hungry Stones, and Other Stories by Rabindranath Tagore - And you’d have deserved it, you little mischievous darling!
— from Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll
