malice
/'mælis/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The intention or desire to cause harm, injury, or distress to another person: "Malice" refers to a deliberate, often unjustified, wish to see someone else suffer or experience misfortune.
- The quality of being spiteful or harboring ill will: It describes a state of mind characterized by bitterness, animosity, or a deep-seated desire for revenge.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- He spoke with pure malice, intending only to hurt her feelings.
- The crime was committed with malice aforethought, meaning it was premeditated.
- There was no malice in her criticism; she was just trying to be helpful.
Advanced Usage
"With malice aforethought": A legal term meaning with prior planning and conscious intent to commit a wrongful act.
- The defendant was charged with murder because the prosecution proved he acted with malice aforethought.
"To bear malice": To continue to feel resentment or ill will towards someone.
- Even years later, she still bore malice towards her former business partner.
Variants and Related Words
Malicious (adj): Characterized by malice; intending or intended to do harm.
- She was the victim of a malicious rumor.
Maliciously (adv): In a manner showing malice.
- The comment was made maliciously.
Synonyms
- Spite: A desire to hurt, annoy, or offend someone.
- Ill will: Unfriendly or hostile feelings.
- Animosity: Strong hostility.
- Venom: Extreme malice and bitterness.
Related Phrases
- Malice prepense: An archaic legal term synonymous with "malice aforethought."
- Express malice: In law, malice that is clearly demonstrated or stated.
- Implied malice: In law, malice inferred from a person's conduct.
Related Idioms
- "To do something out of malice": To perform an action specifically to cause harm.
- He didn't forget to invite her; he left her out of the list out of malice.
Noun
- the quality of threatening evil
- feeling a need to see others suffer