Mal"ice (măl"&ibreve;s), n. [F.
malice, fr. L. malitia, from malus bad, ill,
evil, prob. orig., dirty, black; cf. Gr. me`las 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.
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.
Mal"ice, v. t. To regard with
extreme ill will. [Obs.]
