to maledict
1
9.9
- verb
- /ˈmælɪˌdɪkt/
- Archaic
- The malicious sorcerer maledicted his enemies before vanishing into the night.
Examples
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The witch maledicted the village for their betrayal.
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He warned not to maledict the innocent, for such wishes might rebound upon the speaker.
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In the tale, villagers believed that the old woman could maledict anyone who crossed her.
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He maledicted his enemies during the storm.
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The witch maledicted anyone who dared to enter her woods.
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She was warned not to maledict those who wronged her, as it could bring misfortune on herself.
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In ancient times, people believed that the priest could maledict their enemies with just a few words.
Synonyms
183
7.6
To wish bad things to happen to someone by calling on a magic power
132
4.8
To wish harm on someone using magic
1
9.9
To wish bad things to happen to someone
1
9.9
To wish bad things to happen to someone, often by saying a curse
1
9.9
To wish harm or a curse on someone
To say in public that someone or something is evil and should be avoided
Antonyms
How Harsh
- Formal
1
9.9
- Formal
1
9.9
- Archaic
1
9.9
- Offensive
35
3.9
Surface Forms
Morphology
maledict = male + dict
Although etymologically 'male-' + 'dict-' underlies the verb 'to curse', these combining forms are not transparent to average learners, so the meaning cannot be derived from the parts.
Etymology
Maledict breaks down into mal- 'bad' and -dict 'to say', like in dictate or dictionary. So to maledict someone is to 'say bad things' or call a curse on them, which is why the verb means 'to curse'.