---
title: malice — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «malice» in the school dictionary: Malice is the wish to hurt someone or make bad things happen to them. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# malice

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Malice, bad things, witch, He, Malice aforethought, Gossip · **What happens:** be, hurt, make, happen, do, break · **To what, where:** wish, someone, them, intention, harm, law

<!-- .vabout -->
«malice» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 6 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [malice in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/malice.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Malice is the wish to hurt someone or make bad things happen to them.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:malice:m1:1
# text = Malice is the wish to hurt someone or make bad things happen to them.
1	Malice	malice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	wish	wish	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	hurt	hurt	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	acl	_	_
7	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	6	obj	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	6	conj	_	_
10	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	amod	_	_
11	things	thing	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	nsubj	_	_
12	happen	happen	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	parataxis	_	_
13	to	to	ADP	IN	_	14	case	_	_
14	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	12	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Malice | the wish |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **hurt** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer someone=Patient |
| 3 | **make** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset |
| 4 | **happen** | present | bad things |  | them *= they* |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: law — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Malice is the intention to do harm when breaking the law.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:malice:m2:1
# text = Malice is the intention to do harm when breaking the law.
1	Malice	malice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	cop	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	intention	intention	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
5	to	to	PART	TO	_	6	mark	_	_
6	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	acl	_	_
7	harm	harm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
8	when	when	ADV	WRB	PronType=Int	9	advmod	_	_
9	breaking	break	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	6	advcl	_	_
10	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	11	det	_	_
11	law	law	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Malice | the intention |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | to-infinitive |  | harm |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent harm=Eventuality |
| 3 | **break** | gerund |  | the law |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer law=Patient |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Malice can also mean playful teasing that is not really meant to be unkind.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:malice:m3:1
# text = Malice can also mean playful teasing that is not really meant to be unkind.
1	Malice	malice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	also	also	ADV	RB	_	4	advmod	_	_
4	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	playful	playful	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	teasing	teasing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obj	_	_
7	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	11	nsubj:pass	_	_
8	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	11	aux:pass	_	_
9	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
10	really	really	ADV	RB	_	11	advmod	_	_
11	meant	mean	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	6	acl:relcl	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	14	mark	_	_
13	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	14	cop	_	_
14	unkind	unkind	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	11	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | can | Malice | playful teasing |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent teasing=Topic |
| 2 | **not** **mean** | present · passive |  | playful teasing |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V NP»: subject=Topic |
| 3 | **is** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  | unkind *property* | tree rules |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The witch looked at the princess with malice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:malice:x1:1
# text = The witch looked at the princess with malice.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	witch	witch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	looked	look	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	princess	princess	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
7	with	with	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	malice	malice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **look** | past | the witch |  |  |  |  | at the princess with malice | vn peer-30.3 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent at princess=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He broke the toy by accident, not out of malice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:malice:x2:1
# text = He broke the toy by accident, not out of malice.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	broke	break	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	toy	toy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	by	by	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	accident	accident	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
8	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	11	advmod	_	_
9	out	out	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
10	of	of	ADP	IN	_	11	case	_	_
11	malice	malice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **break** | past | He | the toy |  | malice |  | by accident | vn hurt-40.8.3-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer toy=Patient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
There was no malice in her joke.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:malice:x3:1
# text = There was no malice in her joke.
1	There	there	PRON	EX	PronType=Dem	2	expl	_	_
2	was	be	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	no	no	DET	DT	PronType=Neg	4	det	_	_
4	malice	malice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **be** | past | no malice in malice's joke |  |  | there |  |  | vn exist-47.1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 2 | **joke** |  | malice |  |  |  |  |  | nom joke «communication intransitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bully acted with malice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:malice:x4:1
# text = The bully acted with malice.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bully	bully	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	acted	act	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	with	with	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	malice	malice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **act** | participle |  | the bully *not said here* |  |  |  | with malice | vn act-114-1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Malice aforethought» is an old legal phrase.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:malice:x5:1
# text = «Malice aforethought» is an old legal phrase.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Malice	malice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	aforethought	aforethought	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
6	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	9	det	_	_
7	old	old	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
8	legal	legal	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	9	amod	_	_
9	phrase	phrase	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Malice aforethought | a old legal phrase |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Gossip can be full of malice.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:malice:x6:1
# text = Gossip can be full of malice.
1	Gossip	gossip	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
2	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
3	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	cop	_	_
4	full	full	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	0	root	_	_
5	of	of	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
6	malice	malice	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | can | Gossip |  |  |  |  | of malice; full *property* | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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