† malengin Obs.
Forms: 4–7 malengin, 5 male ingyne, 5–6 male engyne, malengyne, 5, 7 malengyn, 6 male engin, mallengyn, malingen, male-ingine, malengine, 6–7 male engine.
[a. OF. malengin, f. mal evil (see mal-) + engin contrivance, engine n.]
Evil machination, ill-intent; fraud, deceit, guile.
| 1390 Gower Conf. II. 138 So mai men knowe, how the florin Was moder ferst of malengin. 1426 in E.E. Wills (1882) 70 Withoute fraude or male engyne. 1470–85 Malory Arthur xviii. v. 733 For good loue she bad vs to dyner and not for no male engyne. 1502 Arnolde Chron. 88 b/1 He was a good & an honest marchaunt without fraude or malengyne. 1529 Act 21 Hen. VIII, c. 13 By any Manner of Means, Fraud, or Male Engine. c 1540 tr. Pol. Verg. Eng. Hist. (Camden No. 36) 226 Whoe, preventinge his Male Engine, invaded his bowndes. 1590 Spenser F. Q. iii. i. 53 Priefe Of such malengine and fine forgerye. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. vii. §5. 514 The same in good faith keepe, and without mal-Engyn. 1641 Milton Reform. i. Wks. 1851 III. 8 When the Protectors Brother..through private malice and mal-engin was to lose his life. 1726 Ayliffe Parergon 315 All Presumption of Fraud and Male-engine ceases through the authority of the Judge. |
¶ b. Misused for: ? Ruin; ? evil genius.
| 1601 Bp. W. Barlow Defence 59 An opinion which is the verie male-engine of all sound diuinitie. |