miss

Object is always a specific vehicle or service (bus, train, flight, ferry). Frequently used with 'just' to emphasize a very narrow margin: 'I just missed the train.'

This sense does not carry a negative judgment—it simply states that someone was not present. For a more critical tone, use 'skip' (informal) or 'fail to attend' (formal).

Often used with sensory objects: sounds, sights, events. The reason for missing is usually a distraction or physical distance. Not used for permanent sensory loss (use 'cannot see' or 'cannot hear' instead).

Stronger than 'fail to perceive' (sense 4) — here the information is physically available but the observer's attention was insufficient. Common with visual details: signs, errors, objects in plain sight.

This is the only sense of 'miss' where the subject experiences an emotional response to absence. It is stative — usually not used in continuous/progressive form ('I am missing you' is acceptable in informal English, but 'I miss you' is standard).

Commonly used in sports (baseball, tennis, archery) and in any situation involving aiming. The intransitive form (without an object) is very frequent in spoken English.

Distinguish from 'miss' sense 6 (feel sadness because someone is absent). This sense is factual: you notice something is gone, without necessarily feeling emotional about it. Common with personal belongings, tools, or people who are expected to be present.

Unlike sense 1 (physical target), this sense applies to abstract goals such as applications, attempts, guesses, or creative works that fall short of expectations.

This use is old-fashioned and can be offensive. It is used to show disapproval of a young woman who the speaker feels does not show proper respect or behaves too boldly. Avoid using this sense in modern formal or polite contexts — it may be considered sexist or condescending.

Use 'Miss' for unmarried women. The equivalent for married women is 'Mrs.' and for women of any marital status is 'Ms.'. When unsure of a woman's marital status, 'Ms.' is the safest and most modern choice.

This use is becoming less common in modern English, where 'excuse me' on its own or no address term is often preferred by younger speakers. Some women may consider being called 'Miss' by a stranger old-fashioned.

Common in British primary schools. In American English, children typically use 'Mrs./Ms./Miss + surname' or 'Teacher' instead. Some schools now prefer using teachers' first names or 'teacher' to avoid gender-based titles.

Always capitalised when used as a title. The name following Miss can be a country (Miss Japan), a city (Miss Taipei), an organisation (Miss Universe), or a competition name (Miss World).