malice

noun

1. (uncountable, usually)Intention to harm or deprive in an illegal or immoral way. Desire to take pleasure in another's misfortune.

   “Your voice positively drips malice.”

   “[…] not only was there no gratitude (which he could psychologically handle) but downright malice showed itself instead.”

2. (uncountable, usually)An intention to do injury to another party, which in many jurisdictions is a distinguishing factor between the crimes of murder and manslaughter.

   “The question that would have been before the jury was whether Fox committed “actual malice” in airing the claims. That required Dominion to show whether key decision makers were aware the claims were false or acted with reckless disregard for the truth.”

verb

1. To intend to cause harm; to bear malice.

   “Thou blinded God (quod I) forgive me this offence, / Unwittingly I went about, to malice thy pretence.”

   “Who on the other ſide did ſeeme ſo farre / From malicing, or grudging his good houre, / That, all he could, he graced him with her, / Ne euer ſhewed ſigne of rancour or of iarre.”

   “His paines, his pouertie, his ſharpe aſſayes, / Through which he paſt his miſerable dayes, / Offending none, and doing good to all, / Yet being maliſt both of great and ſmall.”

   “I am so far from malicing their states, / That I begin to pity 'em.”

   “A feeble spirited king that governed, / Who ill could guide the sceptre he did use; / His enemies, that his worth maliced, / Who both the land and him did much abuse: / The peoples love; and his apparent right, May seem sufficient motives to incite.”