The quality of evil by virtue of villainous behavior.

synonym: villainousness.

Roget 940: improbity^†; dishonesty, dishonor; deviation from rectitude; disgrace etc. (disrepute) 874; fraud etc. (deception) 545; lying etc. 544; bad faith, Punic faith; mala fides [Lat.], Punica fides [Lat.]; infidelity; faithlessness etc. adj.; Judas kiss, betrayal.    breach of promise, breach of trust, breach of faith; prodition^†, disloyalty, treason, high treason; apostasy etc. (tergiversation) 607; nonobservance etc. 773.    shabbiness etc. adj.; villainy, villany^†; baseness etc. adj.; abjection, debasement, turpitude, moral turpitude, laxity, trimming, shuffling.    perfidy; perfidiousness etc. adj.; treachery, double dealing; unfairness etc. adj.; knavery, roguery, rascality, foul play; jobbing, jobbery; graft, bribery; venality, nepotism; corruption, job, shuffle, fishy transaction; barratry, sharp practice, heads I win tails you lose; mouth honor etc. (flattery) 933.    ... show more

A criminal or vicious act.