a. [ L. malum an apple: cf. F. malique. ] (Chem.) Pertaining to, or obtained from, apples; as, malic acid. [ 1913 Webster ]

Malic acid, (Chem.) a hydroxy acid (HO.CO.CH2.CH(OH).CO.OH) obtained from unripe fruit (such as green apples, currants, tomatoes or cherries) as a substance which is sirupy or crystallized with difficulty, and has a strong but pleasant sour taste. It is levorotatory or dextrorotatory according to the temperature and concentration; the natural form is of L- conformation. A synthetic variety is a derivative of succinic acid, but as with most simple synthetic compounds, is a racemic mixture of isomers and thus has no rotatory action on polarized light. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

v. t. To regard with extreme ill will. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

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. 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 ]

n. [ Sp. malhecho; mal bad + hecho deed, L. factum. See Fact. ] Mischief. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

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 ]

n. (Law), Malicious and willful destructionof or injury to the property of others; -- it is an offense at common law. Wharton.
Syn. -- vandalism, hooliganism. [ 1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5 ]