1.
[syn: malice, maliciousness, spite, spitefulness, venom]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Malicious \Ma*li"cious\, a. [Of. malicius, F. malicieux, fr. L.
malitiosus. See Malice.]
1. Indulging or exercising malice; harboring ill will or
enmity.
[1913 Webster]
I grant him bloody, . . .
Sudden, malicious, smacking of every sin
That has a name. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
2. Proceeding from hatred or ill will; dictated by malice;
as, a malicious report; malicious mischief.
[1913 Webster]
3. (Law) With wicked or mischievous intentions or motives;
wrongful and done intentionally without just cause or
excuse; as, a malicious act.
[1913 Webster]
Malicious abandonment, the desertion of a wife or husband
without just cause. --Burrill.
Malicious prosecution or Malicious arrest (Law), a wanton
prosecution or arrest, by regular process in a civil or
criminal proceeding, without probable cause. --Bouvier.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: Ill-disposed; evil-minded; mischievous; envious;
malevolent; invidious; spiteful; bitter; malignant;
rancorous; malign.
[1913 Webster] -- Ma*li"cious*ly, adv. --
Ma*li"cious*ness, n.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
maliciousness
n 1: feeling a need to see others suffer [syn: malice,
maliciousness, spite, spitefulness, venom]