2. Proceeding from hatred or ill will; dictated by malice; as, a malicious report; malicious mischief.
3. (Law)
Defn: With wicked or mischievous intentions or motives; wrongful and done intentionally without just cause or excuse; as, a malicious act. Malicious abandonment, the desertion of a wife or husband without just cause. Burrill. — Malicious mischief (Law), malicious injury to the property of another; — an offense at common law. Wharton. — Malicious prosecution or arrest (Law), a wanton prosecution or arrest, by regular process in a civil or criminal proceeding, without probable cause. Bouvier.
Syn.
— Ill-disposed; evil-minded; mischievous; envious; malevolent;
invidious; spiteful; bitter; malignant; rancorous; malign.
— Ma*li"cious*ly, adv.
— Ma*li"cious*ness, n.
MALIGN Ma*lign", a. Etym: [L. malignus, for maligenus, i. e., of a bad kind or nature; malus bad + the root of genus birth, race, kind: cf. F. malin, masc., maligne, fem. See Malice, Gender, and cf. Benign, Malignant.]
1. Having an evil disposition toward others; harboring violent enmity; malevolent; malicious; spiteful; — opposed to benign. Witchcraft may be by operation of malign spirits. Bacon.
2. Unfavorable; unpropitious; pernicious; tending to injure; as, a malign aspect of planets.
3. Malignant; as, a malign ulcer. [R.] Bacon.
MALIGN
Ma*lign", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Maligned; p. pr. & vb. n. Maligning.]
Etym: [Cf. L. malignare. See Malign, a.]
Defn: To treat with malice; to show hatred toward; to abuse; to wrong; to injure. [Obs.] The people practice what mischiefs and villainies they will against private men, whom they malign by stealing their goods, or murdering them. Spenser.