Emily Dickinson Lexicon

WICK'ED, a. [Sw. vika, to decline, to err, to deviate, also to fold; Sax. wican, to recede, to slide, to fall away; wicelian, to vacillate, to stumble. It seems to be connected in origin with wag, and Sax. wicca, witch. The primary sense is to wind and turn, or to depart, to fall away.]

1. Evil in principle or practice; deviating from the divine law; addicted to vice; sinful; immoral. This is a word of comprehensive signification, extending to every thing that is contrary to the moral law, and both to persons and nations. We say, a wicked man, a wicked deed, wicked ways, wicked lives, a wicked heart, wicked designs, wicked works. No man was ever wicked without secret discontent. – Rambler.
2. A word of slight blame; as, the wicked urchin.
3. Cursed; baneful; pernicious; as, wicked words, worth pernicious in their effects. [Obs.] [This last signification may throw some light on the ward witch.] The wicked, in Scripture, persons who live in sin; transgressors of the divine law; all who are unreconciled to God, unsanctified or impenitent.