malfeasance
(mælˈfiːzəns)
Also 7 malefeazance, 8 malefeasance, 8–9 malfaisance, 9 malfesance.
[a. AF. *malfaisance (cf. mod.F. malfaisance), f. OF. malfaisant: see next.]
1. Law. Evil-doing; spec. official misconduct on the part of one in public employment.
| 1696 Lond. Gaz. No. 3242/4 Special Bars in Case, viz... Slander,..Mis feazance, Male-feazance [etc.]. 1765 Blackstone Comm. I. 393 Statutes, which declare the benefice void, for some nonfeasance or neglect, or else some male⁓feasance or crime. 1827 Hallam Const. Hist. (1876) II. viii. 32 Thus corruption, breach of trust, and malfeasance in public affairs..came..under the cognizance of the star⁓chamber. 1839 J. Story Law Bailments 123 The same rule which is applied by the common law to cases of malfesance, governs also cases of negligent execution of a gratuitous trust or agency. 1885 Spectator 8 Aug. 1041/1 The protection of Hastings, whom he had charged with various malfeasances. 1892 Times (weekly ed.) 4 Nov. 4/1 Various charges of malfeasance. |
2. gen. Wrong-doing; an instance of this. rare.
| 1856 Emerson Eng. Traits xv. 260 A relentless inquisition..turns the glare of this solar microscope [the newspaper] on every malfaisance. 1860 ― Cond. Life, Consid. Wks. (Bohn) II. 415 Nature turns all malfaisance to good. |