VICIOUS • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Vicious

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/vˈɪʃəs/ Listen

adjective

Vicious adj.

Characterized by vice or defects; defective; faulty; imperfect. "Though I perchance am vicious in my guess." "The title of these lords was vicious in its origin." "A charge against Bentley of vicious reasoning."

Addicted to vice; corrupt in principles or conduct; depraved; wicked; as, vicious children; vicious examples; vicious conduct. "Who... heard this heavy curse, Servant of servants, on his vicious race."

Wanting purity; foul; bad; noxious; as, vicious air, water, etc.

Not correct or pure; corrupt; as, vicious language; vicious idioms.

Not well tamed or broken; given to bad tricks; unruly; refractory; as, a vicious horse.

Bitter; spiteful; malignant. (Colloq.)

Synonyms: Corrupt; faulty; wicked; depraved.

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Etymology of 'Vicious'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Vicious" Quotes from Famous Books

... and luxuriant Campagna stagnates into malaria, because of its want of ventilation and movement, so does this grand and noble people. The government makes what use it can, however, of the classes it exploits by its system; but things go in a vicious circle. The people, kept at a stand-still, become idle and poor; idleness and poverty engender vice and crime; crime fills the prisons; and the prisons afford a body of cheap ...

— The Atlantic Monthly, Vol. IV, No. 22, Aug., 1859 • Various

... mentally "overloaded." It may be the result of a great variety of causes. It may be from too many hours of continuous mental effort. But the probabilities are that it is the result of vexation, worry, dissipation, or allowing the mind to be burdened with the strain of vicious, or at least irrelevant and distracting, impulses and desires. And so ...

— Initiative Psychic Energy • Warren Hilton

... terms must be distinguished from contradictory. Contrary terms are those which are most opposed under the same head. Thus 'white' and 'black' are contrary terms, being the most opposed under the same head of colour. 'Virtuous' and 'vicious' again are contraries, being the most opposed under the same ...

— Deductive Logic • St. George Stock

... new Pinkerton fourpenny, the Wednesday Chat, brighter, more emotional, gentler, spicier, and chattier than them all, and vulgar as well, nearly as vulgar as John Bull, and quite as sentimental, but less vicious, so that it sold in its millions from the outset, and soon had a poem up on the walls of ...

— Potterism - A Tragi-Farcical Tract • Rose Macaulay

... spirit. He labours with a stronger influence. Many hearts were purified by his sacrifice. One of Nogi's reasons for suicide was no doubt that he might be able to follow his beloved Emperor, but his intention was also to warn many vicious or unpatriotic people. Some politicians and rich people say they are patriotic, but they are animated by selfish motives and desires. Nogi's suicide was due to his loving his fellow-countrymen sincerely. Surely he was acting after the ...

— The Foundations of Japan • J.W. Robertson Scott

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