malice aforethought

Noun

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

(law) criminal intent; the thoughts and intentions behind a wrongful act (including knowledge that the act is illegal); often at issue in murder trialsSynonyms: mens rea malice aforethought

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

malice \mal"ice\ (m[a^]l"[i^]s), n. [F. malice, fr. L. malitia, from malus bad, ill, evil, prob. orig., dirty, black; cf. Gr. me`las black, Skr. mala dirt. Cf. Mauger.]

1.Enmity of heart; malevolence; ill will; a spirit delighting in harm or misfortune to another; a disposition to injure another; a malignant design of evil. "Nor set down aught in malice." --Shak. [1913 Webster]

Envy, hatred, and malice are three distinct passions of the mind.— Ld. Holt.[1913 Webster]

2.(Law) Any wicked or mischievous intention of the mind; a depraved inclination to mischief; an intention to vex, annoy, or injure another person, or to do a wrongful act without just cause or cause or excuse; a wanton disregard of the rights or safety of others; willfulness. [1913 Webster]

Malice aforethought or Malice prepense, malice previously and deliberately entertained. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Spite; ill will; malevolence; grudge; pique; bitterness; animosity; malignity; maliciousness; rancor; virulence.

Usage: See Spite. -- Malevolence, Malignity, Malignancy. Malice is a stronger word than malevolence, which may imply only a desire that evil may befall another, while malice desires, and perhaps intends, to bring it about. Malignity is intense and deepseated malice. It implies a natural delight in hating and wronging others. One who is malignant must be both malevolent and malicious; but a man may be malicious without being malignant. [1913 Webster]

Proud tyrants who maliciously destroy And ride o'er ruins with malignant joy.— Somerville.[1913 Webster]

in some connections, malignity seems rather more pertinently applied to a radical depravity of nature, and malignancy to indications of this depravity, in temper and conduct in particular instances.— Cogan.[1913 Webster]