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malice definition

mal·ice (malis)

noun

  1. active ill will; desire to harm another or to do mischief; spite
  2. Law evil intent; state of mind shown by intention to do, or intentional doing of, something unlawful

Etymology: OFr < L malitia < malus, bad: see mal-

malice Idioms

malice aforethought

or malice prepense
a deliberate intention and plan to do something unlawful, as murder

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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