prepense
Definition
- Adjective:
- Deliberate or premeditated: "prepense" describes an action that is planned, intentional, or considered beforehand, typically with a negative connotation involving malice or wrongdoing.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- The crime was committed with malice prepense, meaning it was planned with evil intent. (The crime was done with deliberate, premeditated malice.)
- His prepense actions showed he had thought carefully about the consequences. (His deliberate actions indicated prior consideration.)
Advanced Usage
- "of malice prepense": a legal and formal phrase meaning "with premeditated malice" or "with evil intent planned in advance".
- The defendant acted of malice prepense, not in the heat of the moment. (The defendant acted with deliberate, premeditated malice.)
Variants and Related Words
Premeditated (adj): planned or considered beforehand (a more common synonym).
- The murder was premeditated, not accidental. (The murder was planned in advance.)
Forethought (n): careful thought or planning for the future.
- He showed no forethought in his prepense scheme. (He lacked careful planning despite the deliberate nature.)
Synonyms
- Deliberate: done consciously and intentionally.
- Premeditated: planned or thought out beforehand.
- Intended: done on purpose or with a goal in mind.
Related Idioms
- "With malice aforethought": a legal phrase meaning with deliberate intent to cause harm, similar to "malice prepense".
- The attack was carried out with malice aforethought. (The attack was done with premeditated evil intent.)
Additional Notes
- Historical and legal use: "prepense" is rarely used in modern everyday English. It appears primarily in legal contexts, especially in the phrase "malice prepense," which is equivalent to "malice aforethought." Its use is formal and archaic.