malice

A desire to harm others or to see others suffer; extreme ill will or spite.

The intent to commit an unlawful act without justification or excuse.

An improper motive for an action, such as desire to cause injury to another.

To regard with malice; bear extreme ill-will to; also, to envy and hate.

Badness; bad quality.

Evil; harm; a malicious act; also, evil influence.

A propensity to inflict injury or suffering, or to take pleasure in the misfortunes of another or others; active ill-will, whether from natural disposition or special impulse; enmity; hatred: sometimes used in a lighter sense. See malicious, 1.

In law, a design or intention of doing mischief to another; the evil intention (either actual or implied) with which one deliberately, and without justification or excuse, does a wrongful act which is injurious to others.

Synonyms Ill-will, Enmity, etc. (see animosity); maliciousness, venom, spitefulness, depravity.