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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

pre·pense

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–adjective

planned or intended in advance; premeditated.

[Origin: 1695–1705; pre- + -pense < L pénsus, ptp. of pendere to weigh, consider; see pensive

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

pre·pense Audio Help (prĭ-pěns') Pronunciation Key
adj. Contemplated or arranged in advance; premeditated: malice prepense.

[From Middle English, past participle of purpensen, to premeditate, from Anglo-Norman purpenser : pur-, before (from Latin pro-; see pro-¹) + penser, to think (from Latin pēnsāre; see (s)pen- in Indo-European roots).]

pre·pense'ly adv.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

prepense

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 - Cite This Source - Share This

Prepense

Pre*pense"\, v. t. [Pref. pre + F. penser to think. See Pansy.] To weigh or consider beforehand; to premeditate. [Obs.] --Spenser. Sir T. Elyot.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Prepense

Pre*pense"\, v. i. To deliberate beforehand. [Obs.]

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