Mischief

[mis-chif] /ˈmɪs tʃɪf/

noun
1.
conduct or activity that playfully causes petty annoyance.
2.
a tendency or disposition to tease, vex, or annoy.
3.
a vexatious or annoying action.
4.
harm or trouble, especially as a result of an agent or cause.
5.
an injury or evil caused by a person or other agent or cause.
6.
a cause or source of harm, evil, or annoyance.
7.
the devil.
/ˈmɪstʃɪf/
noun
1.
wayward but not malicious behaviour, usually of children, that causes trouble, irritation, etc
2.
a playful inclination to behave in this way or to tease or disturb
3.
injury or harm caused by a person or thing
4.
a person, esp a child, who is mischievous
5.
a source of trouble, difficulty, etc: floods are a great mischief to the farmer
n.

c.1300, “evil condition, misfortune, need, want,” from Old French meschief “misfortune, harm, trouble; annoyance, vexation” (12c., Modern French méchef), verbal noun from meschever “come or bring to grief, be unfortunate” (opposite of achieve), from mes- “badly” (see mis- (2)) + chever “happen, come to a head,” from Vulgar Latin *capare “head,” from Latin caput “head” (see capitulum). Meaning “harm or evil considered as the work of some agent or due to some cause” is from late 15c. Sense of “playful malice” first recorded 1784.

Mischief Night in 19c. England was the eve of May Day and of Nov. 5, both major holidays, and perhaps the original point was pilfering for the next day’s celebration and bonfire; but in Yorkshire, Scotland, and Ireland the night was Halloween. The useful Middle English verb mischieve (early 14c.) has, for some reason, fallen from currency.
see: make mischief