Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun Heinous wrong-doing; a criminal deed; a crime; a wrong; a bane or curse.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun rare A crime; an offense; an evil deed.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun obsolete A crime

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

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Examples

  • We in the press have hastened to accuse them of every kind of malefaction, whether justified or not, and have often been slow to correct the misimpressions we left.

    Just Send Us The Bill 2008

  • When the photos came out, most Americans saw SGT Darby as a hero who was putting an end to the malefaction of a few bad apples.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Radio Host Waterboarded, Says It’s Torture: 2009

  • Do you think a rogue, secretive, abusive organization that regularly defies the rule of law -- hell, forget those abstract principles; how about the embarrassing political optics of an "anti-hate" agency that admits to posting hateful messages on the Internet itself -- would really go willingly into Tuesday's hearing, with the national press assembled there to record their every misdeed and malefaction?

    Even the human rights tribunal is sick of the human rights commission - Ezra Levant 2008

  • Do you think a rogue, secretive, abusive organization that regularly defies the rule of law -- hell, forget those abstract principles; how about the embarrassing political optics of an "anti-hate" agency that admits to posting hateful messages on the Internet itself -- would really go willingly into Tuesday's hearing, with the national press assembled there to record their every misdeed and malefaction?

    Ezra Levant: March 2008 Archives 2008

  • I am agnostic on the question of whether this malefaction in Jewish communal organizations drives Jews away from religious affiliation.

    Mark Oppenheimer: Abraham Foxman Should Be Fired 2008

  • The billionaire is so proud of and confident in his every malefaction, he declaims them from the rooftop.

    Our Mayor Is a Square, Part II Brooks of Sheffield 2007

  • The billionaire is so proud of and confident in his every malefaction, he declaims them from the rooftop.

    Archive 2007-10-01 Brooks of Sheffield 2007

  • It is a saga of rags and riches, loves won and lost, and, in the end, betrayal, malefaction, and regret.

    Grace Metalious: Peyton Place's Real Victim Callahan, Michael 2006

  • To cover the trace of her malefaction, she picked up the dog end and placed it with her notes in her shoulder bag.

    With No One as Witness George, Elizabeth 2005

  • ‘I’ll break your head, ’ said the sturdy Liddesdale man, ‘if ye say ony mair about it, and that will be malefaction eneugh to entitle me to ae night’s lodging wi’ you, ony way.

    Chapter XLV 1917

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