— viciously , adv. — viciousness , n.
/vish"euhs/ , adj.
1. addicted to or characterized by vice; grossly immoral; depraved; profligate: a vicious life.
2. given or readily disposed to evil: a vicious criminal.
3. reprehensible; blameworthy; wrong: a vicious deception.
4. spiteful; malicious: vicious gossip; a vicious attack.
5. unpleasantly severe: a vicious headache.
6. characterized or marred by faults or defects; faulty; unsound: vicious reasoning.
7. savage; ferocious: They all feared his vicious temper.
8. (of an animal) having bad habits or a cruel or fierce disposition: a vicious bull.
9. Archaic. morbid, foul, or noxious.
[ 1300-50; ME ( vitiosus, equiv. to viti ( um ) fault, VICE 1 + -osus -OUS ]
Syn. 1. abandoned, corrupt, iniquitous, sinful. 4. malevolent.
Ant. 1. moral.