Webster's English Dictionary

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malign

Cross references:
  1. sinister              
 
1. ma.lign \m*-'li-n\ aj [ME maligne, fr. MF, fr. L malignus, fr. male 
   badly + gign]ere to beget - more at MAL-, KIN 1a: evil in nature, 
   influence, or effect : INJURIOUS  1b: MALIGNANT, VIRULENT  2: having or 
   showing intense often vicious ill will : MALEVOLENT 
2. malign vt [ME malignen, fr. MF maligner to act maliciously, fr. LL 
   maligna]ri, fr. L malignus : to utter injuriously misleading or false 
   reports about : speak evil o fATE, DEFAME, SLANDER mean to injure by 
   speaking ill or regardless of truth. MALIGN suggests specific and often 
   subtle misrepresentation but may not always imply deliberate lying; TRADUCE 
   stresses the resulting ignominy and distress to the victim; ASPERSE implies 
   continued attack on a reputation often by indirect or insinuated 
   detraction; VILIFY implies attempting to destroy a reputation by open and 
   direct abuse; CALUMNIATE imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to his 
   assertions; DEFAME and SLANDER stress the effects, DEFAME suggesting actual 
   loss of or injury to one's good name, SLANDER the suffering of the victim 
   SYN syn MALIGN, TRADUCE, ASPERSE, VILIFY, CALUMNI