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malice
7 dictionary results for: malice
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
mal·ice 
[mal-is] Pronunciation Key
[mal-is] Pronunciation Key –noun
| 1. | desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness: the malice and spite of a lifelong enemy. |
| 2. | Law. evil intent on the part of a person who commits a wrongful act injurious to others. |
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
| mal·ice
(māl'ĭs) Pronunciation Key
n.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin malitia, from malus, bad; see mel-3 in Indo-European roots.] |
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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
malice
malice
1297, "desire to hurt another," from O.Fr. malice "ill will, spite," from L. malitia "badness, ill will, spite," from malus "bad" (see mal-). In legal use, "wrongful intent generally" (1547). Malicious (c.1225) is O.Fr. malicius "showing ill will," from L. maliciosus "full of malice," from malitia.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
| malice | |
noun | |
| 1. | feeling a need to see others suffer |
| 2. | the quality of threatening evil [syn: malevolence] |
WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: mal·ice
Pronunciation: 'ma-l&s
Function: noun
1 a : the intention or desire to cause harm (as death, bodily injury, or property damage) to another through an unlawful or wrongful act without justification or excuse b : wanton disregard for the rights of others or for the value of human life c : an improper or evil motive or purposemalice cannot be proved or a benign purpose can be imagined —David Kairys> d : ACTUAL MALICE 2 in this entry
actual malice
1 : malice proved by evidence to exist or have existed in one that inflicts unjustified harm on another: as a : an intent to injure or kill b : MALICE 2 called also express malice malice in fact
2 a : the knowledge that defamatory statements esp. regarding a public figure are false b : RECKLESS DISREGARD OF THE TRUTH —see also PUBLIC FIGURE New York Times Company v. Sullivan in the IMPORTANT CASES section
implied malice
: malice inferred from the nature or consequences of a harmful act done without justification or excuse; also : malice inferred from subjective awareness of duty or of the likely results of one's act called also legal malice malice in law
malice aforethought
: actual or implied malice existing in or attributed to the intention of one that injures or esp. kills without justification or excuse and usually requiring some degree of deliberation or premeditation or wanton disregard for lifemalice aforethought —California Penal Code>
malice in fact
: ACTUAL MALICE 1 in this entry
malice in law
: IMPLIED MALICE in this entry
2 : feelings of ill will, spite, or revenge
NOTE: Such feelings are usually not an important component of malice in legal consideration unless punitive damages or actual malice is an issue.
Main Entry: mal·ice
Pronunciation: 'ma-l&s
Function: noun
1 a : the intention or desire to cause harm (as death, bodily injury, or property damage) to another through an unlawful or wrongful act without justification or excuse b : wanton disregard for the rights of others or for the value of human life c : an improper or evil motive or purpose
actual malice
1 : malice proved by evidence to exist or have existed in one that inflicts unjustified harm on another: as a : an intent to injure or kill b : MALICE 2 called also express malice malice in fact
2 a : the knowledge that defamatory statements esp. regarding a public figure are false b : RECKLESS DISREGARD OF THE TRUTH —see also PUBLIC FIGURE New York Times Company v. Sullivan in the IMPORTANT CASES section
implied malice
: malice inferred from the nature or consequences of a harmful act done without justification or excuse; also : malice inferred from subjective awareness of duty or of the likely results of one's act called also legal malice malice in law
malice aforethought
: actual or implied malice existing in or attributed to the intention of one that injures or esp. kills without justification or excuse and usually requiring some degree of deliberation or premeditation or wanton disregard for life
malice in fact
: ACTUAL MALICE 1 in this entry
malice in law
: IMPLIED MALICE in this entry
2 : feelings of ill will, spite, or revenge
NOTE: Such feelings are usually not an important component of malice in legal consideration unless punitive damages or actual malice is an issue.
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Malice
Mal"ice\, n. [F. malice, fr. L. malitia, from malus bad, ill, evil, prob. orig., dirty, black; cf. Gr. ? black, Skr. mala dirt. Cf. Mauger.]1. Enmity of heart; malevolence; ill will; a spirit delighting in harm or misfortune to another; a disposition to injure another; a malignant design of evil. "Nor set down aught in malice." --Shak. Envy, hatred, and malice are three distinct passions of the mind. --Ld. Holt. 2. (Law) Any wicked or mischievous intention of the mind; a depraved inclination to mischief; an intention to vex, annoy, or injure another person, or to do a wrongful act without just cause or cause or excuse; a wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others; willfulness. Malice aforethought or prepense, malice previously and deliberately entertained. Syn: Spite; ill will; malevolence; grudge; pique; bitterness; animosity; malignity; maliciousness; rancor; virulence. Usage: See Spite. -- Malevolence, Malignity, Malignancy. Malice is a stronger word than malevolence, which may imply only a desire that evil may befall another, while malice desires, and perhaps intends, to bring it about. Malignity is intense and deepseated malice. It implies a natural delight in hating and wronging others. One who is malignant must be both malevolent and malicious; but a man may be malicious without being malignant. Proud tyrants who maliciously destroy And ride o'er ruins with malignant joy. --Somerville. in some connections, malignity seems rather more pertinently applied to a radical depravity of nature, and malignancy to indications of this depravity, in temper and conduct in particular instances. --Cogan.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Malice
Mal"ice\, v. t. To regard with extreme ill will. [Obs.]
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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