aforethought

a·fore·thought

A0126500 (ə-fôr′thôt′)adj. Planned or intended beforehand; premeditated: malice aforethought.

aforethought

(əˈfɔːˌθɔːt) adj (immediately postpositive) premeditated (esp in the phrase malice aforethought)

a•fore•thought

(əˈfɔrˌθɔt, əˈfoʊr-)

adj. thought of previously; premeditated: with malice aforethought. [1575–85]

Thesaurus

Adj.

aforethought - planned in advance; "with malice aforethought"plotted, plannedpremeditated - characterized by deliberate purpose and some degree of planning; "a premeditated crime"

Translations

aforethought

with malice aforethought

Intentionally and malevolently; not innocently or by accident. The phrase is usually used humorously to mimic legal language. Don't give me that innocent look. You ate the last piece of pie with malice aforethought!See also: aforethought, malice

malice aforethought

A calculated, premeditated intention to harm or kill. Outside of legal writing, the phrase is often used humorously or sarcastically. During the sentencing, the defendant's lawyers argued that the death penalty should be reserved for those who killed with malice aforethought. Don't give me that innocent look. You ate the last piece of pie with malice aforethought!See also: aforethought, malice

malice aforethought

the intention to kill or harm which is held to distinguish unlawful killing from murder.See also: aforethought, malice

with ˌmalice aˈforethought

(law) with the deliberate intention of committing a crime or harming somebody: Suddenly Guy, more by way of a nervous twitch than with malice aforethought, pulled the trigger.See also: aforethought, malice

aforethought

Aforethought

In Criminal Law, intentional, deliberate, planned, or premeditated.

Murder in the first degree, for example, requires malice aforethought; that is, the murder must have been planned for a period of time, regardless how short, before it was committed.

aforethought

see HOMICIDE.

AFORETHOUGHT, crim. law. Premeditated, prepense; the length of time duringwhich the accused has entertained the thought of committing the offence isnot very material, provided he has in fact entertained such thought; he isthereby rendered criminal in a greater degree than if he had committed theoffence without. premeditation. Vide Malice; aforethought; Premeditation 2Chit. Cr. 785; 4 Bl. Com. 199; Fost. 132, 291, 292; Cro. Car. 131; Palm.545; W. Jones, 198; 4 Dall. R. 146; 1 P. A. Bro. App. xviii.; Addis. R. 148;1 Ashm. R. 289.

aforethought

a·fore·thought

aforethought

a•fore•thought

aforethought

with malice aforethought

malice aforethought

malice aforethought

with ˌmalice aˈforethought

aforethought

Aforethought

aforethought

aforethought

Synonyms for aforethought

adj planned in advance

Synonyms

Related Words