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   Vi·cious

   /ˈviSHəs/

   

   adjective

   • 1. deliberately cruel or violent: "a vicious assault" Similar brutalferocioussavageviolentdangerousruthlessremorselessmercilessheartlesscallouscruelharshcold-bloodedinhumanfiercebarbarousbarbaricbrutishbestialbloodthirstybloodyfiendishsadisticmonstrousvillainousmurderoushomicidalheinousatrociousdiabolicalterribledreadfulawfulgriminformal:beastlyarchaic:fellsanguinarymaliciousmalevolentmalignantmalignspitefulvindictivevenomouspoisonousbalefulvirulentperniciousbackbitingrancorouscausticmeancruelbitteracrimonioushostilehate-filledmenacingnastyunpleasantevildefamatoryslanderousinformal:bitchycattyliterary:maleficmaleficentOpposite gentlekindlybenevolent
   • ▪ (of an animal) wild and dangerous to people: "the dog was vicious and likely to bite"
   • ▪ serious or dangerous: "a vicious flu bug"
   • 2. immoral: literary "every soul on earth, virtuous or vicious, shall perish"
   • 3. (of language or a line of reasoning) imperfect; defective. archaic

   Word Origin Middle English (in the sense ‘characterized by immorality’): from Old French vicious or Latin vitiosus, from vitium ‘vise’.

   Scrabble Points: 12

   • V

     4

   • I

     1

   • C

     3

   • I

     1

   • O

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   • U

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   • S

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