maledīco (or separately, male dīco; rarely in reverse order: qui bonis dicunt male, Plaut. Bacch. 1, 2, 10; cf. id. Trin. 4, 2, 79), xi. ctum, 3, v. n. and a. [male-dico], to speak ill of, to abuse, revile, slander, asperse; constr. absol., or with a dat. (so class.) or acc. (post-Aug.). Absol.: aliud est maledicere, aliud accusare, Cic. Cael. 3, 6.

— With dat.: optimo viro maledicere, Cic. Deiot. 10, 28: turpissime alicui, id. N. D. 1, 33, 93: petulanter alicui, id. Cael. 3, 8: utrique, Hor. S. 2, 3, 140: Christo, Plin. Ep. 10, 97, 5; Sen. Contr. 1, 4, 1.

—Impers. pass.: indignis si maledicitur, maledictum id esse dico, Plaut. Curc. 4, 2, 27; Ter. Hec. 4, 2, 14.

— With acc.: si me amas, maledic illam, Petr. 96; v. id. 74.

— Esp., to curse, utter a curse upon (eccl. Lat.): populo huic, Vulg. Num. 22, 6 al.

—Hence, maledī-cens, entis, P. a., evil - speaking, foulmouthed, abusive, scurrilous (syn. maledi cus): maledicentes homines, Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 75.

—Comp.: maledicentior, Plaut. Merc. 1, 2, 31.

—Sup.: in maledicentissimā civitate, Cic. Fl. 3, 7: carmina, Suet. Caes. 23; Nep. Alc. 11, 1.

— maledictus, a, um, P. a., accursed (post-class. for exsecrabilis): maledicte parricida, Spart. Get. 3, 3: maledictus es inter omnia animantia, Vulg. Gen. 3, 14: omnes incesti, Mos. et Rom. Leg. Coll. 6, 7 praef.

—Hence, as subst.: male-dictum, i, n., a foul or abusive word. In gen. (class.): maledicta in aliquem dicere, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 3, 2: in vitam alicujus conicere, id. Planc. 12, 31: maledictis figere aliquem, id. N. D. 1, 34, 93: maledicta in aliquem conferre, id. Att. 11, 8, 2: quod crimen (i. e. majestatis) non solum facto, sed et verbis impiis ac maledictis maxime exacerbatur, Paul. Sent. 5, 29, 1.

— In partic., a curse, imprecation: esse in maledictis jam antiquis strigem, convenit, Plin. 11, 39, 95, § 232: scribere maledicta, Vulg. Num. 5, 23.

— Transf., a cursed thing: Christus factus pro nobis maledictum, Vulg. Gal. 3, 13: maledictum non erit amplius, id. Apoc. 22, 3.