aforethought

[uh-fawr-thawt, uh-fohr-] /əˈfɔrˌθɔt, əˈfoʊr-/
adjective
1.
thought of previously; premeditated (usually used predicatively):
with malice aforethought.
noun
2.
premeditation; forethought.
Origin
1575-85; afore + thought2
Examples from the web for aforethought
  • Essentially, it is of no matter, as malice aforethought and deliberate design mean the same thing.
  • Shorty with malice aforethought, deliberately and intentionally, and with callous and wanton disregard for human life.
  • It's a matter of malice aforethought on the part of persons unknown.
  • The unlawful killing of a human being by another with malice aforethought, either express or implied.
  • But it was a judgment that was made on the part of that petty officer with certainly no malice aforethought.
British Dictionary definitions for aforethought

aforethought

/əˈfɔːˌθɔːt/
adjective
1.
(immediately postpositive) premeditated (esp in the phrase malice aforethought)
Word Origin and History for aforethought
adj.

1580s, from afore + past tense of think. Apparently an English loan-translation of Old French legalese word prepense (see prepense) in malice prepense "malice aforethought" (Coke).