malice aforethought

See synonyms for: malice aforethoughtmalice aforethoughts on Thesaurus.com

nounLaw.
  1. a predetermination to commit an unlawful act without just cause or provocation (applied chiefly to cases of first-degree murder).

Origin of malice aforethought

1
First recorded in 1660–70
  • Also called malice prepense .

Words Nearby malice aforethought

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use malice aforethought in a sentence

  • To be frank, I seriously doubt if Madoff set out, with malice aforethought, to defraud anyone.

    Why Bernie Did It | Mansfield Frazier | December 22, 2008 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • With malice aforethought, we made a raid to the extent of three pennies worth.

  • But let it be recorded to the old town's credit, the evil was propagated without malice aforethought.

    Watch Yourself Go By | Al. G. Field
  • But even granting that, one could scarcely help suspecting malice aforethought in the curious provision.

    Boyhood in Norway | Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen
  • He claims that Bud pitched him into that dishpan uh dough with malice aforethought.

    The Happy Family | Bertha Muzzy Bower
  • It is not waiting for them to drag down the banner to the dust; it is making haste to trail it for them with malice aforethought.

    A New Atmosphere | Gail Hamilton

British Dictionary definitions for malice aforethought

malice aforethought

nouncriminal law
  1. the predetermination to do an unlawful act, esp to kill or seriously injure

  2. the intent with which an unlawful killing is effected, which must be proved for the crime to constitute murder: See also murder, manslaughter

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012