malengine
/malˈɛndʒɪn/(also mal engine, malengin) Now archaic and poetic
noun
Evil machination, ill intent; fraud, deceit, guile.
Origin
Late Middle English; earliest use found in John Gower (d. 1408), poet. From Anglo-Norman and Middle French mal engin deception, rarely also difficulty, obstruction from mal evil + engin.