| 释义 |
malefice|ˈmælɪfɪs|
Also 5 -fyce.
[ad. L. maleficium, f. malefic-us malefic. Cf. F. maléfice.]
1. A wicked enchantment; sorcery. arch.
c1374Chaucer Boeth. i. pr. iv. 12 (Camb. MS.) They trowen þat I haue had affinite to malefice or enchauntement [L. affines fuisse videmur maleficio]. 1483Caxton Gold. Leg. 203/2 Seynt Peter..disclosed all his [Simon Magus'] malefyces. 1652Gaule Magastrom. 100 Malefice and sorcery. 1700G. Hickes Let. 19 June Pepys' Diary (1879) VI. 202 The discovery of witches, and their malefices and enchantments. 1865Cornh. Mag. XI. 471 That he should die by the malefice of a sorcerer.
2. An evil deed; mischief. Obs. or arch.
1591Spenser M. Hubberd 1153 He crammed them with crumbs of Benefices, And fild their mouthes with meeds of malefices. 1611J. Davies (Heref.) Sco. Folly (Grosart) 38/1 So to the curat tis a malefice, But to the patron still a benefice. 1689tr. Buchanan's De Jure Regni 52 They use to be highly offended with robbers, and that very justly, if any of them in their malefices pretend the King's name. 1867P. B. St. John Snow Ship v. 47 Of man, his tricks and malefices, there was no sign.
†3. In astrological sense: Malefic character. Obs.
1652Gaule Magastrom. 77 Made to consist by the stars, and to thrive, or dwindle away, according to the benefice, or malefice, of their influence. |