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VILD. 201 VILE.
Vild (valid), a. Obs. exc. arck. or diaL Also
6-7 vylde, 6-7 (9) vilde ; 6 Sc. vyild, 6-7 (9)
vyld, 7 vU'd. [Variant of Vile tz., with excrescent
-d. The earliest instances are Scottish (cf.
tylde for Tile sb^)^ but the form is extremely
common from ^1580 to 1650.] =Vile a.y in
various senses : a. Of action^, things, etc.
1560 RoLLAND Se7-cn Sogcs 48 1 he niorne he sail go to
the deid maist vylde, Howbcit he be my onlie sottin
.Chyldc. 1^68 T, Howell Arb. Ainitie (1879) 35 Shall I be
prest in simpler sort and vylder case then hee. 1597 J.
Payne Royal Exck. 24 Since whose vilde death mame a
good Christian have bene no less vmbraded and reproched.
i598'9 E. FoRUE Parismus i. (1661) 49 With great patience
he endured the imprisonment, continuing in that most
vilde place, a 1613 Overburv A IVt/e, etc. (1638) 38 Her
breath should be as horrible and vild, As evVie word you
speake is sweet and mild. 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. 158
A vild thing, thus to *force and wrong Nature. 1713
Croxall Orig. Canto Spenser xiv. (1714) 14 With Witchcraft
vild he then enwrapt her round. 1748 Thomson Cast.
Indol. II. xxvi, O hide thy head, abominable war !.. From
Heaven this life ysprung, from hell thy glories vild ! 1767
MiCKLE Concub. I. XX, Loud and angrie then Gan she of
shame and haviour vild complain. 1805 Scott Last
Minstrel \\\. xiii, Could he have had his pleasure vilde, He
had crippled the joints of the noble child. 1853 N. 9f Q.
ist Ser. VI I. 234/1 (N. Cy. snyings). Looks as vild (worthless)
as a pair of Yorkshire sleeves in a goldsmith's shop.
1866 Edmondston Gloss. Shetiofid, Vyldy dirty, filthy, vile.
b. Of persons.
1567 Gudei^Godlie B. (S.T.S.) 122 Quhen I was impotent,
Fragile, vaine, vylde, and pure. 1581 Rich Fareiv. (1846)
116 The desolate damscll.. ceased not to rebuke the vilde
caiiive. 1588 Babington Pro/. Exp. Lord's Pr, (ispfS) 235
The good Prophet had a bad seruant, a vilde Gehczi. 1608
Tarlton Cobler Canterb. (1844) 1^8 Vilde strumpet as thou
art. i6a8 Gaule Fract. The. (1629) 11 Lo how the vildest
Earth-Worme now tumes against thee ! 1656 Hevlin 5«n'.
France 324 That vilde Butcher (Herod] caus'd to cut in
sunder Eucry ^tale childe of two years old and under. 1767
MiCKLE Concub. i. xxii, Shc.clept her Lemman and vild
Slutt aloud. 1865 GiDLEY Aletes 145 Their influence mild
Withdraw from presence of those monsters base and vild,
Intolerance and Injustice.
absol. 1597 Shaks. 2 Hen. /K, in. i. 15 O thou dull God,
why lyest thou with the vilde, In loathsome Beds? 1607
— Tiwon I. L 15 When we for rccompcncc haue prais'd the
vild.
Vild, obs. So. form of Wild a.
Vilderbeeste, var. Wiluebeestk (gnu).
fVilderoy. Obs."^ The name of some fabric.
1769 LloytCs Even. Post ^o Oct.-i Nov. 420/3 Damasks,
\'iIderoys, Paolis, corded 'labbies.
Vildever, dial, variant of FiEt-DFARE,
Vildimes, obs. Sc. form of Wilderness.
Vi'ldly, adv. Now rare or Obs. [f. Vild a.
Common c 15(^0-1650.] = Vilely adfty.
1575 Chusciivaru Chippes (1817) 127 So vildly agaynst
my honour and trueth. 1588 Babington Prof. Exp. Lord's
Pr, (1595) 234 To haue true good will . .so vnkindely, yea so
vildly requited. i6o> Miduleton Phoenix 11. ii.
J28 Captain
? off with that noble title ! thou becomest it vildly.
1655 Theophania 162 If Parmenio had sense of honor, he
could not thus vildly blemish the vertue of Artemia. 1681
HiCKERiNCiLL Blai.k Non-Conf. ii. Wks. 1716 II. 20 They
are vildly loth to lo>ie their domineering, insulting Kingdom
of Darkness. 1748 Mendez Sqr. Dames 11. xxix. in DcSsIey
Coll. Poems (1755) IV. 150 Have I not cause to weep from
rising morn .. 1 sec my deariing's fame thus vildly torn?
Vi'ldness, Obs. exc. arch, or dial» [f. as prec]
= VlLE.NE.S9.
1507 J. Va-^hz Royai Exck. 35 What vyldnesand wyckednes
is not fownd in many of you ? 160a Dvmmok Ireland
(1^3) 4^ Enraeed with a consideration of the vildenes of
his men, ..[hel Drake from them in a fury. 160^ Markham
Cavai. u (1617) 22 His inward parts may retaine a secret
vildnes of disposition, which may be insufferable. 1654 E.
Calamy Serm. tgOct. (1655) 2 The body of vildnesse shall
then be a body of glory. 1866 Edmondston Gloss. Shetland
140 Vyldness, dirt, 61th.
Vildyveer, dial, variant of Fieldfare.
Vile >'9il)t a.y adv.^ and sb. Forms: 3-4 vil
(3 uil, 4 wil), 3-5 vyl (5 wyl), 5-6 vyil; 3-7
vylo (4 uyle, 5-6 .SV. wyle), 3- vile (3-4 file,
4-5 wile, 5 Sc. wille). [a. AF, and OF, (also
mod.F.) vil masc, vile fem. (- Pr., Sp., Pg, vil,
It. vile) :— L. vllem^ vtlis of low value or price,
cheap, common, mean, base.]
A, adj. 1. Of actions, conduct, character, etc.
Despicable on moral grounds ; deserving to be
regarded with abhorrence or disgust ; characterized
by baseness or depravity.
c 1x90 S. Eng. Leg. I. 192/4 pare ne scholde vil dede ne
word neuere fram hire wende. IJ97 R. Glouc. (Rolls)
4504 Modred.huld hire in spousbruche, in vyl flessesdede.
/bid. 10003 He suor he wotde awrekc be of J>is vil trespas.
1303 R. Brunnk Handl. Synue 1586 Here wurdys were al
vyle & waste. 1377 Lancl. P. Pi. B. xiv. 79 So vengeaunce
fel vpon hem, for her vylc synnes. 1393 /bid. C. xxi. 97
Thenne gan faith foully t»c false lewes to despisen, And
calde hem * caytifs a-corscd ', for J^is wasa vjl vilanye. c 1450
Holland lloivlat 226 The Sparrowe Wenus he wesit for
his vyle deidis, Lyand in lichory, laJth, vnloveable. 1477
Caxton Dictes 67 Summe tliinges that ye louc & preyse ar
cuil and vyle. 1560 Daus tr. Sleidane's Comvt. 65 These
wycked theues. .cloke al this abomit>ation.. with the couer
of Christianitie, which is the vylest and moste vnworthiest
thine, that can be imagined, a 15S6 .Sidney Psalms v.
tv, Let their vile thoughts the thinckers ruine be. i6as
Bacon £"«., Envy (Arb.) 517 It is also the vilest Affection,
and the most depraued. 1651 Hobbes Lcviath. 11. xviii. 89
Vol. X.
I a
Not onely an act of an unjust, but also of a vile, and unmanly
disposition. 1671 Milton .S'awjfjw 376 If aughtseem
vile. As vile hath been my folly, who have profan'd The
mystery of God. I7a7 De Foe Hist. Appar. iii. (1840) 22
Turning the whole frame of nature upside down by his vile
doings there. 1784 Cowper Tiroc. "jfn Within some pious
pastor's humble cot. Where vile example.. May never more
be stamp'd upon his breast. 1838 Lvtton Alice 82, I see
already that from the world, vile as it is, you have nothing
of contagion to fear. 1848 Thackeray Van. ^arV xxxiii,
'I'hat abandoned wretch,.. of whose vile arts he became a
victim. 1849 Macailay Hist. Eng. v. I. 555 The Earl's
past life had been stained by what they regarded as the
vilest apostasy,
b. Used to qualify nouns denoting faults of
mind or character. " rare,
a 1340 Hampole Psalter ix. i A vile errour it is l>at sym
men says that god does vnrightwisly. Ibid, xv, i-Here is
jje vile pride of men confoundid. 1567 Saiir. Poems Reform,
IV. 91 Quhat sail I wryte of joure wyle vanitie?
c. Of names, etc. : Implying (moral) baseness
or depravity.
1560 Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 383 This graved the
moste, y* their religion was described by so vile & contemptuouse
a name. 1590 Shaks. Mids. N. 11. ii. 107 Where
is Demetrius ? oh how fit a word Is that vile name, to
perish on my sword I 1743 Bulkelev & Cummins Voy. S.
Seas Pref. p. xvi. The Gentleman, .represented us to the
English Merchants in a very vile Light. 7ou wendes in exile. 1303 R. Brunne IfandL Synne
2597 5yf an okerer my5t founde be, pey helde hym vyler
J^an a lew c 1330 Arth. ^ Merl. 8738 (Kolbing), LeggeJ?
on |>e traitours vile, Spare J> nou^t, ac ste doun ri5t. a 1400-50
Alexander 186 {'an sail \>2X victoure 50W venge on 5our
viie fais. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. 11. 731 Repruffand thaim
as sotiis wille . . For to lieff it fayntly, And leif lownderaris
caytefly. i5oo-«o Dunbar /'4
[see Durance 5]. 1784 Cowper Tiroc. 456 To work at a vile
trade For wages so unlikely to be paid. 1879 Farrar St.
Paid (1883) 68g He had been a slave, in the vilest of all
positions.
6. Of things : Of little worth or account ; mean
or paltry in respect of value ; held in no esteem or
regard. Also absol.
f 1330 Cast. Love 1112 Woldestou l>i finger ^eue, .. So
vnworj? and so vyl chaffare to bugge ? 1340 Ayenb. 82
Hi neconne. .deme. .betuene precious an vil. 1390 Gower
Couf. Pro!. I. 33 This world.. That wliilom was so magnefied.
And now is old and fieble and vil. 1416 Lydc. De
Cuil. Pilgr. 21 132 A thyng of no valu, And. .Most wyl off
reputacioun. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W, de W. 1531) 6 b, The
transytory honours of this worlde sholde appere to vs vyle
and nought. 1560 Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 233 b, That
doctryne began to waxe vyle to him every day more and
more. 1670 Moral State Eng. 24 Who coniemneth Religion
as a vile thing? who never nameth God but in his
Oaths or Burlesque? a 1677 Barrow Exp. Creediitgj) 23
The vilest and commonest stones. 1678 K. Barclay Apol.
Quakers v. § 23. 171 That it may cut off Iniquity from
him, and separate betwixt the Precious and the Vile. 17CX)
RowE Amb. SteP-Moth. i. i. 261 All returns are vile, but
Words the poorest. Ibid. 424 Everlasting Fame Grows
vile in sight of thee. 1784 Cowper Task v. 589 That low
And sordid gravitation of his pow'rs To a vile clod. x8i8
Shelley Rosa I. ^ Helen 667 AH that others seek He casts
away, like a vile weed Whii.h the sea casts unreturningly.
1867 Morris Jason vi. 388 And all the feasts that thou hast
shared erewiile With other kings, to mine shall be but vile.
1878 Browning La Saisiaz 75 Thou sea, wherein he counts
Not one inch of vile dominion.
b. Similarly of persons (or animals).
1340 Ayenb. 132 fe zo}>e milde wyle by hyalde uor vyl,
na^t ase milde y-praysed, 1390 Gowkr Conf. Prol. I. 112
To so vil a povere wrecche Him deigneth schewe such
simplesce. 1308 Trevisa Barth. De P. R. vi. xiv. (B'odl.
MS.), Soche children for trespas be made vile pore seruauntes.
c 1480 H enryson Fables, Lion e
farest \>a\ sal not by, Bot );e vilist. igji Bradshaiv's St.
Werburge Prol. 20 [He] toke the payne and laboure Thy
legendc to translate.. Out of latine in Englisshe rude and
vyle. 1551 Turner Herbal 115 Cistus. .that cummeth out
of arabia..is viler then the other be. 1700 Prior Car/«,
Sec. iv, With the Blood of Jove there always ran Some viler
Part, some Tincture of the Man. 1746 Francis tr. Hor.,
Sat.tu v. 121 Writes he vile Verses in a frantic Vein? 1756
C. Lucas Ess. Waters III. 259 This vile structure was, this
year, removed. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm, xvii, This appearance
of Craigengelt. .is a most vile augury for his future
respectability. 1841 Barham Ingol. Leg. Ser. 11. Auto-day>',
A Vile compound, .called Olla podrida. 1851 Ruskin
Stones Ven. (1874) I. viii. 91 The vile cathedral of Orleans.
X903 Times 10 Jan. 6/6 It is scarcely possible to conceive a
viler day than . . this,
b. Used as an intensive emphasizing some bad
quality or condition; + also, heavy, severe.
a 1400-50 Alexander j^\t4, pan fandis he furth,..Come to
a velans vale Jjare was a vile cheele. c 1400 Destr. Troy
1249 The bourder of his basnet [he] brestes in sonder, And
videt the viser with a vile dynt. 1601 Shaks. Jul. C. 11. L
265 Will he steale out of his wholsome bed To dare the
vile contagion of the Night? 16x5 Work for Cutlers 9,
I think that Powder is a vile bragger, he doth nothing
but cracke. 171a Steele Sped. No. 474 P i 1'° .^*= obliged
to receive and return Visits, .is a vile Loss of Time. 1798
Ferriar Illustr. of Sterne ii. 54 The brightest wit is confounded
with the vilest absurdity.
7. Comb.y as vile-born^ -hearted^ -natured, etc.
a 1548 Hali, Chron.^ Hen. VII, 7 Such a dongehvH knaue
and vylc borne villeyne. 1591 Spenser M, Hubberd 986
Be therefore counselled herein by me. And shake off this
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