malicious

ma·li·cious   (mə-lĭsh'əs)    adj.  Having the nature of or resulting from malice; deliberately harmful; spiteful: malicious gossip. ma·li'cious·ly adv., ma·li'cious·ness n.

Malicious

Ma*li"cious\, a. [Of. malicius, F. malicieux, fr. L. malitiosus. See Malice.]

1. Indulging or exercising malice; harboring ill will or enmity.

I grant him bloody, . . . Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin That has a name. --Shak.

2. Proceeding from hatred or ill will; dictated by malice; as, a malicious report; malicious mischief.

3. (Law)With wicked or mischievous intentions or motives; wrongful and done intentionally without just cause or excuse; as, a malicious act.

Malicious abandonment, the desertion of a wife or husband without just cause. --Burrill.

Malicious mischief (Law), malicious injury to the property of another; -- an offense at common law. --Wharton.

Malicious prosecution or arrest (Law), a wanton prosecution or arrest, by regular process in a civil or criminal proceeding, without probable cause. --Bouvier.

Syn: Ill-disposed; evil-minded; mischievous; envious; malevolent; invidious; spiteful; bitter; malignant; rancorous; malign. -- Ma*li"cious*ly, adv. -- Ma*li"cious*ness, n.

Main Entry: ma·li·cious
Pronunciation: m&-'li-sh&s
Function: adjective
: given to, marked by, or arising from malice <malicious destruction of property> —ma·li·cious·ly adverb —ma·li·cious·ness noun