malice
desire to harm or hurt others
A strong, angry feeling when you want to hurt someone or make something bad happen to them on purpose.
[someone] feels malice toward [someone]
- She spoke without malice, but her words still hurt him.
- His decision to spread the rumor was driven by pure malice.
- There was open malice in his eyes when he looked at his rival.
- They insisted that the comment was a joke and not said out of malice.
- Years later, he claimed he felt no malice toward his former boss.
- He wrote the email in anger and with malice.
- The boy broke her phone out of malice, not by accident.
- She feels no malice toward her ex-husband now.
- There was malice in his voice when he answered.
- They acted from malice, not from fear.
legal intent to do wrongful harm
In legal language, the state of mind when a person plans or accepts a wrongful act, like serious injury or death, and does it without any good legal reason.
[someone] acts with malice
- The prosecution argued that the defendant acted with malice when he set the house on fire.
- To prove murder, they had to show malice and not just careless behavior.
- The judge explained that malice could be implied from the extreme danger of the defendant’s conduct.
- In defamation cases, public figures must prove actual malice to win damages.
- The jury found that there was no malice, reducing the charge to manslaughter.
- The lawyer said the crime showed clear malice.
- In this country, murder requires proof of malice.
- The court must decide if there was malice in his actions.
- Without malice, the charge may be less serious.
- They could not prove malice, so he was found not guilty of murder.
- Base: malice
- Plural: malice
bear malice (toward/against someone)
1continue to hold malicious feelings
To keep feeling malice toward someone for some time.
- Although they argued, she insists she bears him no malice.
- He still bears malice against his former business partner.
malice aforethought
1pre-planned intention to cause serious harm
A legal term meaning that someone decided to cause serious harm or death before they did the crime.
- The jury had to decide whether the killing was done with malice aforethought.
- Without proof of malice aforethought, the charge could not be murder.
malice toward none
1showing no desire to harm anyone
A formal or literary way to say that you feel no malice toward any person.
- The leader promised to govern with malice toward none and justice for all.
- He tried to live his life with malice toward none, even his enemies.
out of malice
1motivated by a wish to harm
Because you feel malice; as a result of wanting to hurt or upset someone.
- She didn’t forget your name out of malice; she was just nervous.
- He spread those lies out of malice, not by mistake.
with malice
1in a deliberately harmful way
Done in a way that shows you want to hurt someone or cause problems for them.
- The remark was made with malice and was clearly meant to hurt her.
- He claims the article was written with malice to damage his reputation.