malevolent, a. and n.
(məˈlɛvələnt)
Also 6 maly-, malivolent.
[a. OF. malivolent, ad. L. mali-, malevolent-em, f. male ill + volent-em willing, pr. pple. of velle to will, wish.]
A. adj.
1. Of persons, their feelings and actions: Desirous of evil to others; entertaining, actuated by, or indicative of ill-will; disposed or addicted to ill-will.
| 1509 Barclay Shyp of Folys (1874) II. 216 The honour of hym that is absent..Is hurt and distayned by worde malyuolent. 1528 Roy Rede me, etc. (Arb.) 118 Iudas the traytour malivolent Whiche betrayed Christ to the Iues. 1593 Nashe Christ's T. 66 Malicious and maleuolent are they, that will exclude any one Arte..from bearing witnesse of God. 1645 E. Pagitt Heresiogr. (1661) 72 They are as malevolent to Dutch and French Churches as to us. 1664 H. More Myst. Iniq., Apol. 561 [To] disenable malevolent men from doing the free and ingenuous undeserved mischief. 1689 in Wood's Life 21 Nov. (O.H.S.) III. 314 Some malivolent people have lately defaced King William's picture in the Guild-hall. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 172 ¶4 Whoever rises..will have many malevolent gazers at his eminence. 1833 Keble Serm. vi. (1848) 143 The..malevolent feeling of disgust,..which is apt to lay hold on sensitive minds. 1841 Macaulay Ess., W. Hastings (1851) 599 The keen, severe, and even malevolent scrutiny to which his whole public life was subjected. 1894 S. Weyman Under Red Robe v. (1897) 133 His lean malevolent face..chilled me. |
† b. transf.
| 1719 London & Wise Compl. Gard. xxv, For securing of..tender Greens and Plants from malevolent Winds. |
† 2. Astrol. Exercising an evil or baleful influence.
| 1593 R. Harvey Philad. 56 Some infortunate and malevolent configuration of mouable skies and starres. 1691 Dryden K. Arthur v. 44 At length I have thee in my Arms; Tho our Malevolent Stars have strugled hard, And held us long asunder. 1696 Phillips (ed. 5), Malevolent Planets, Saturn and Mars. |
b. transf. and fig.
| 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, i. i. 97 This is Worcester, Maleuolent to you in all Aspects. 1672 Sir T. Browne Lett. Friend §4 Death hath not only particular Stars in Heaven, but Malevolent Places on Earth. 1685 Boyle Enq. Notion Nat. iv. 83 The malevolent aspect, that the vulgar notion of nature..may have on religion. |
B. n.
† 1. A person of evil wishes or designs. Obs.
| 1595 Daniel Civ. Wars iv. xxxi. (1609) 95 They durst not..present..their defences, in respect He was incenst by some maleuolent. 1637 Laud Sp. in Starr Chamber Ded. a 2, Mr. Prinn..[will] scarce find such a Malevolent as himselfe against State and Church. 1654 H. L'Estrange Chas. I (1655) 127 Notwithstanding..these close insinuations by these turbulent malevolents, the Act passed. 1670 in Somers Tracts I. 3 Which his malevolents affirmed to be an emblem of himself. |
† 2. Astrol. An evil influence. Obs.
| 1651 Culpepper Astrol. Judgem. Dis. (1658) 150 They are both afflicted by malevolents, the Moon by Conjunction of Saturn, and the Sun by Conjunction of Mars. |