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VAIL.
their bonnets to created being, bestowed on the King, .their
blessing instead of rendering obeisance.
b. fig. with bonnet: To manifest submission ;
to acknowledge oneself overcome or surpassed ;
yield, give way. (Cf. 3 b.)
1579 GossoN Sch. Abuse (Arb.)59 If you giue but a .glance
to j-our beholders, you haue vayled the bonnet in token of
obedience. 1596 K. Ediv. Ill, v. 78 Copland, .with a lowly
minde Doth vale the bonnet of his victory. 1609 Holland
Atnm.Marcell. 360 My heart yerneth.. to thinke how many
right honourable personages in this unseemly . .manner were
debased and brought to vale bonet. i6»6 in Foster Eng^,
Factories India (1009) HI. 138 None is made so happy but
he hath cause to vale the bonnett. 1739 R. Whatley Three
Lett, 14 After the noted rupture in St. James's Square, he
had so remarkably veil'd his bonnet. *
c. (Asprec.) To submit or yield, toshowrespect,
to some person, etc.
1587 HoLiNSHED Ckron, III. 297A All christendome must
veile the bonnet to his holinesse. 1590 Nashe Martin
Marprelate Wks. (Grosart) I. 241 All Schooles of Phylosophers
shoulde haue vailed the bonet vnto God. i6ix
CoRYAT Crudities 266 Shee wil very neare benumme and
captivate thy senses, and make reason vale bonnet to affec-
tion. 1675 J. Smith Ckr. Relig: App. 11. 14 Therefore we
see all the Grecian Pliilosophy that was not founded upon
Tradition . . veil'd the Bonnet to that of Pythagoras, Socrates
and Plato.
t3. Naui. To lower, to let or haul down (a sail).
1553 Bresde ^. CMr/:Vf Cciiij, The waues dyd ryse so
hygh and thicke.-tbat the shipmen beganne to vale their
sayles— 1586 T. B. La Primaud. Fr. Acad. I. 351 In the
meane while he taketh the helme into his hande, he vaileth
the fore^aile, and..laboreth to come out of the darke sea.
'634-5 Breretom Trav. (Chetham Soc.) 3 We vailed our
topsail, and. .it being answered that we were of London and
bound for Rotterdam, we were dismissed.
Ae- «589 Greene Menaphon Wks. (Grosart) VI. a8 If he
wilt her to keepe a low sayle, she will vayle al her sheete.
b. esp. To lower as a salute or in acknowledgement
of inferiority. Chiefly with bonnet as object.
Sometimes y?^. (Cf. a b.)
(a) 1509, a x5a9 [see Bonnet sh. 2]. 1560 Daus tr.
Sleidan^s Comm. 365 The french Captaine. .signified vnto
them that for honoure sake, after the olde accustomed
facion, they shuld vaile their bonnets, strike saile, and
hatlse her with shoting of their ordinaunce. 1613 Purchas
Pilgyimage (1614) 730 Mysians, Troyans, Tynans yaile
your bonnets, strike your top-sailesto this Indian- Admiral 1.
1633 Sir J. Burroughs Sov. Brit. Seas (1651) 62 Divers
Ships.. that have constantly kept the Narrow Seas, unto
which all strangers even at this day vaile Bonnet in
acknowlegement of this Superioritie. 1678 Marvell Growth
Popery Wks- 1875 IV. 283 The pretended causes [of war]
were made publick, which were, the not having vailed bonnet
to the English yacht [etc.).
(^) 1631 Hevwood Fair Maid 0/ West i. iv, It did me
good To see the Spanish Carvel vail her top Unto my
maiden flag. 1653 "• Cogan tr. Pinto's Trav. xix. 68 In
token of joy they gave a great shout, and withall vailing
their top sails in shew of obedience.
•\'^,
fig, a. To abase, humble, or lower (one's
courage, the heart, etc.) ; to submit, subject, or
yield (one thing) to (another). Obs,
158X Stamyhurst /Eneis iv. (Arb.) 98 Also let cure Dido
vayle her hert too bedfeloe Troian. c 159a Marlowe ^ew
0/Malta V. ii, Now vaile your pride you captiue Christians.
160a J. Daviks (Hcref.) Mirutn in Modum Wks. (Grosart)
I. 15/2 Vaile, vaile thy thoughts, th' imaginations vaile,
Vnto the depth of all profundities. 1649 Bp. Hall Cases
Cofisc. i. (1650) 2 There can be no reason why you should
vail your owne just advantage to another mans excesse. 1654
Owen Saints' PersezK iv. Wks, i8_5i XI. an Expressing
much confidence that the world of saints . . will vail their faith
and understanding to his dictates. 18*7 Scott Surg. Dan. v.
When his gold-laced hat veiled its splendour before the
fresher mounted beavers of the 'prentices of Dr. Gray.
b. To strike or cast down, rare-"^,
1590 Greene Orl. Fur. v. i, Then maist thou think that
Mars himself came down To vaiie thy plumes and faeaue
thee from thy pompe.
II. intr. t6. To fall {down)\ to descend. Obs.
c 1400 Rowland e hare on his
eye hdd, Abouen J»e bolnyng.. -Be fore t>e mete, it vale,
fc. Of a storm : To
abate, cease, Obs~^
1606 Sylvester Tropheis 235 Wks. (Grosart) II. 241 The
Stormes that long disturb'd the State arc val'd.
6. Of a bonnet or banner: To be doffed or
lowered in token of respect or submission,
c 1550 A pore helpe 214 m Hazl. E. P. P. III. 260 And
telles them suche a tale As makes theyr bonettes vale. 1743
Pope Dune. iv. 20^ His [i.e. Bentley's] Hat, which never
vaird to human pride, Walker withrev'rcnce took, and laid
aside. i8s6 Mrs. Shelley Last Man II. 15 The inhabit.
ants in thousands were assembled to give him hail,, .the
soldiery presented arms, the banners vailed.
•f* 7. To drop or sail down stream or with the
tide. Also with down. Obs.
1^ St. Papers Hen. VIII, X. 118 Our other shippes,
which be already valed. 1553 in Hakluvi Voy.^x^t^Z) I. 234
We departed from Detford, passing by Greenwich.. and so
valed unto Blackwall. 1598 Hakluyt Ibid. 367 Wee departed.,
before Sunne rising and valed downe the riuer
sometime sailing, and sometime rowing.
to
15
+ 8, To bow or bend down to the ground in
obeisance or salutation. Obsr""^
c_iS93 Marlowe Hero ^ Leander i. 159 There Hero..
Vaild to the ground, vailing her eie-lids close, And modestly
they opened as she rose.
III. absol. 1 9. Naut. To lower the sail, (Cf.
3.) Also in fig. context. Obs.
iSia in Rymer Foedera (1710) XIII. 330 No Vessell of
the Flete vale or plukke doun his Saill unto such tyme as
the Admiral hath valed. c\^^ Marlowe Je^uof Malta \\.
ii. Because we vail'd not to the Turkish Fleet. i6ox B.
}q^s,o-h Poctasterwx.'w^ What, will he saile by, and not once
strike, or vaile to a Man of warre ? 1650 Weldon Crt,
Jos. /, 49 A Dutch Man of Warre comming by that Ship,
would not vail, as the manner is, acknowledging by that,
our Soveraignty over the Sea.
10. To doff or take off the cap or hat {to a person,
etc).
1599 ^' JoNSON Ev. Man out o/Hum. v. iv, xst Cup. The
health of that honourable countess.. .2Mrt?C7am noght again, c 1340 Hampole
Proie Tr. 3 Na thynge . .sa . . dos awaye coryous and vayne
ocupacyons fra vs. 1387 Trevisa Higden {KoWs) VII. 135
Witebal-.men l^at the power of kynges is vayne. C1450
Mirk's Festial 64 To put away all maner worldes vanyte,
and vayn murthe, and reuell. 1484 Caxton Fables offEsop
I. V, For the loue of a vayn thynge men ought not to leue
that whiche is certeyn. 1599 Supplic. to A7«.f (E.E.T.S.)
23 Such wayne, vngodly, and vnprofitable lerninge. 1560
Daus tr, Sleidane's Comm. 102 b, Many wouide judge that
promesse to he vayne. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World u. (1614)
372 After which victorie it is said that Jephta performed the
vaine vow which he made. j66a Stilliscfl. Orig. Sacrx
II. iii. §6 Certainly God.. will never alter the course of
nature, meerly for satisfaction of mens vain curiosities. 1713
Steele En?lishtn. No. 7, Without a natural Talent, all the
Acquirements of Learnmg are vain. 1759 Franklin Ess,
Wks. 1840 III. 525 The remainder of that day. .was wasted
in a vain discussion. i8oj Mar. Edgewobth Moral T,
(1816) I. xiii. 103 It was vain for him to attempt any exflanation.
A1853 Robrrtsom Serm. Ser. in. xiv, (1866) 178
n vain regrets for the past, in vainer resolves for the