† preˈpensed, ppl. a. Obs.
Also prepenst.
[f. prec. vb. + -ed1; substituted early in 16th c. for the original purpensed; subsequently reduced to prepense a.]
a. esp. in legal phraseology in malice prepensed, prepensed malice, malice prepense: see prepense a.
| [1436–1548: see purpensed.] |
| 1530–1 Act 22 Hen. VIII, c. 14 Manslaughter by chaunce medley, and not murder of malyce prepensed. 1531 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxford (1880) 104 Intendyng of malyce prepenced to putte..Govnter to..trobyll. 1603 Holland Plutarch's Mor. 664 We take more to the heart, a mocke or scornfull flout, as comming from a prepensed malice. 1607 Cowell Interpr. s.v. Murder, Murder..signifieth in our common lawe, a wilfull and felonious killing of any other vpon prepensed malice. 1659 Thorndike Wks. (1846) II. 639 What fault soever may have come..it cannot be presumed to have come upon prepensed malice. 1704 J. Harris Lex. Techn. I. s.v., If there were Malice prepensed formerly between them, it makes it Murder; as it is called in some Statutes Prepensed Murder. |
b. In other connexions:
= prepense a. b.
| a 1529 Skelton Replyc. 300 heading, An ineuytably prepensed answere to all waywarde or frowarde altercacyons. 1553 T. Wilson Rhet. 73 If the offence be committed vpon a prepensed mynde and wilfully. 1600 Holland Livy xxxvii. vii. 948 Having no time to put any prepensed plot in practise. 1670 Penn Truth Rescued fr. Impost. 40 With what prepenst Unkindness and disdainful Ketch he was treated. |
Hence
† preˈpensedly adv. = prepensely.
| 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 14 If it were proued that he killed him wittingly, willingly, and prepensedly. |