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VIIiLAINIZE.
Villainise I'vilan^iz}, z\ Also 7-8 TiUanise,
9 villainise. [f. Villain' s^.]
1. trans. To render villainous ; to debase or
degrade.
16*3 tr. Fatnmg's Tkcat. Hon. 111. xii. 487 To blame or
abuse Ladies.. is.. for a man to vUIanire and shame himselfc
1700 Dbvden Wife 0/ Bath's T, 405 Were Virtue by
Descent, a noble Name Could never villanize his Father's
Fame. 1745 Law Ci*ftsid, ^tatt ll'oriJ m. 245 That those
Writings which villanize Mankind Iia\'e a pernicious
tendency towards propagating and protecting Villany.
SL To treat or revile as a villain.
Cf. ViLLAINlZEK below.
1857 Sir F. Palgrave Korm. ^ Eng. II. 437 Here in
Rouen had he been villainized, disgraced, liooted, imprisoned,
bullied, degraded.
3. intr. To play the villain.
x88a Ecko 11 Feb. 3 Let us hope that.. these gentlemen
{if. actors), whose mission it is to dabble in crime.., will in
future ' villainise ' no more.
Hence Vi'llaiDiaing vbl. sb. Also Vl'Uaixiizer,
one who reviles or defames.
1599 Sandys Europx Sf>ec. (1605) P iij b, What renouncers
of God, blasphemers of his oiiely begotten sonne, viUanisers
of his Saints. 1678 Cvdwokth Intdt. Syst. i. v. § ^i. 890
The foundation [01 the atheistic ethics and politics] is first
laid in the villanizing of Humane Nature. 1691 Bentlev
Serift, i. i^ in the deba:>ing and villainizing of Mankind to
the condition of iiea^ts,
tVi'llainly, adv. Obs. Forms: a. 4 uilein-,
vilejm-, vyleyn-, vilain-, vylaynliohe ; 4
vUayn-, 5-6 vylayn-, 6 villaynly. ^. 4 vilanliche,
5 wylanlyche ; 4 vilenlyoh, villenliche,
4 vylenly, 5 velenly. [f. Villain a. + -ly 2
]
After the manner of a villain ; villainously, vilely.
a. a i«5 MS. Rawl. B. 520 fol, 49 b, Homsokne : fcat is
quite of amerciament for entre of houses utieinliche ant
bi-tK>ute leue a^en |>e kinges pes. 1340 A} enh. 64 Efterward
huanne mtf zuere^ vileynHche by god and by his hal^en.
C1380 Sir Ferumb, 5345 How wer l>ou so hardy, ..come
armed on |»y stede,..& pus vylayn[li]che on t)y resoun J>y
message to me abede? 1483 Caxton G. de la TVwr evijb.
Within a lytell tyme after she deide vylaynly and sodenly
of an euyll deth. c 1500 Melusine xxi. 130 Perceyue you
not how Uiis Dogges oppressen vylaynly these valyaunt &
worthy crystensf a 1560 Phaer /Eneid ix. Aa iij b, If but
one harme Suffized had their sinne, and not with spyte all
female kinds 'I'hus viliaynly disdain.
^. cx'^jpArth. ^ Merl. 5794(K6ibini;), Sol>aideden, sikerliche,
Defuiland vilanliche, 1 oward . . king Rion. c 1380 Sir
Ferumb. 1825 To..presenty til him with such outrage t>ay
heuedes bi-fore him selue, & so vylenly beode ys message.
c 1400 Laud troy Bk. 7499 Thow art now dede and ouerthrowen,.
.Velenly thow hast thi mede. a 1450 Le Morle
Arth. 1156 Thou ouglitiste with no Ryghte to gabbe on
hym so wylanlyche, thus be-hynde hym, oute of hys syghte.
VillaiUOUS (vi'lanas), a. Forms: a. 4 vylayneus,
5*6 vylaynous, 6 velaynous, vilaynouse;
6 vyllayn-, viUayn-, 6- villainous (7
villainujB, •einous). )3. 4, 6-7 vilanous, 5-6
vylanous, 6 -ouse, vilanus, 4, 6-9 villanous
(6 -ouse); 5 vilenous(e, 6 villenus, 7-8 -ous ; 7
villonous. 7. 6 velanus-, velanous, 7 vealinoua.
[f. Vill.vix sb. + -ous, or ad, OF. viUnneus
msultini;, defamatory.]
1. Of persons: fa. Churlish, ill-bred, tmmannerly.
Obs. rare.
13.. Gaw. \ Knt. 1497 5* af stif in-noghe to constrayne
wyth strenk(>e, \\i yow lykez, 5^^ ^^'y were so
vilanous i^at yow devaye wolde. ? a 1366 Chaucer Rom.
Rose 178 Ful foule and cherlysshe seined she, And eek
vylayneus for to be, And liiel coude of norture.
b. Having the character or disposition of a
villain; infamously depraved or wicked; vilely
criminal.
f iSSo RoLi.AND Crl. Vtnus iv. 281 Not for to say, Venus
is velanous: Bot that hir warkis may na les be vndone Nor
of befoir, bot Vesta is mair Famous. 1570 Levins Mani^.
226 Villanouse,_yfrt^///ffMj', 1596 Shaks. i Hen. IV.w. iv.
138 There is nothing but Roguery to be found in Villanous
man. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. 475 The furious
outrage of that most villanous Rebell Ket. 1623 111 Foster
Eftg. Factories Ind. {1908J II. 244 A plooitof that vealinous
sirompitl Nabar Malle. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India 4- P.
368 They are yet reckoned a Villanous sort of Breed. 1719
De Foe Crusoe il (Globe) 500 We have not half done yet,
villainous Hell-huund Dogs ! 1793 Mrs. Inchbald Ev. One
ha% Faults 111. ii, I repeat, he is the vilest, the most villanous
of men. 1839 Darwin ^oy. Nat. iv. 83, 1 sliould think
such a villanous, banditti-like army, was never before
collected togetiier. 1855 Bkewster Newton II. xv. 56 The
Elector of Hanover, whom the villanous English wished to
deprive of the succession to the kingdom. 1869 D. Cook
Nts. at t/u Flay (1883) I. 116 Mr. Cowper gave a.. careful
portraiture of the villanous Siukely.
O. Miserable, wretched, rare~^.
i^ Stanvhurst Mneis 11. (Arb.) 45 Oh, quod he, what
region sbal shrowd mee villenus owtcast?
2. Of actions : Of the nature of villainy ; marked
by depravity or vileness of conduct ; deserving
severe condemnation on moral grounds.
14., Chattuf's L. G. /K 1824 (Fairf.), Alias of the thys
was a vilenouse dede. 1573-80 BARtr Alv. s.v., A Vilanous
and shamefuU act. 1599 Dallam in Early Voy. Levant
(Hakluyt Soc.) 84 He came but to speaUe with our Turke
abuute their vilanus plott, 1664 H. More Myst. Iniq. 11
Which Figment is still the more vile, if we consider, .with
what villainous and barbarous injuries it must necessarily be
conceived tobcaccompaiiied. 1681 H. Hallvwell /l/^/aw/,
80 [They] have incorporated themselves into the Dark
Society by all manner of villanous and flagitious actions.
1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 27 If their brutish
206
rage led them to one villanous action, they would soon go
on to another. i77« Prikstley Inst. Relig. (1782) I. 127
One villainous action is sufficient to imbitter a man's whole
life. 1813 Shkllev Q. Mtib iv. 184 Their cold hearts blend
Deceit with sternness, ignorance with pride, All that is
mean and villanous. 1837 Lvtton E. Mnltrav. ix. ii, I
have done a villanous thing, but I thought it only a clever
one. X846 Greener Sci. Gunnery 153 A villainous system
of covering or plating barrels with fine iron, over a body of
iron of the most inferior description.
b. Of looks, etc. : Indicative of villainy.
i^iBSovTH^'i Epistle tc Allan Cuunii/gkaffi, I shall show
thee, Allan,. .an array of villainous visages. 1840 Dickens
OldC. Shop xxix, Isaac [had] a very ill-favoured face, and
a most sinister and villainous squint. 1841 Borrow Zincalt
I. iv. II. 284 With an expression so extremely villanous, that
I felt uneasy. 1863 [see Leer sb.^\
3. Of words, etc. : Pertaining to or characteristic
of a villain ; vile, scurrilous ; offensively opprobrious
or profane.
o. 1470-85 Malorv Arth. i. xxvii. 74 The most vylaynous
and lewdest message that euer man herd sente vnto a kynge.
X5S9 More Dyaloge iv. Wks. 261/2 Thus these wretched
heretiques . . lay more vilay nouse rebuke to the great maieste
of god, than euer any one ribaude layd vnto a nother. 1533
— Confut. Tindale Wks. 602/2 Wee fynde not that he
called hym false wretche, nor no suche vylaynous word.
a 1700 EvELVN Diary 28 Apr. 1696, A most villainous reviling
book against K. James. X78a Miss Burnev Cecilia ix.
viii, My heart swelled with indignation at so villainous a
calumny. 1883 Stevenson Treas. /si, 1. i, He at last broke
out with a villainous, low oath.
p. 15*3 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. Ixvi. 36/2 Whan the other
commons sawe that, they began to sterre and sayde to the
burgesses many euyll and vylanous wordes. 1559 Homilies
I. Agst, Contention 11. (1569) M viij b, Pericles being prouoked
to anger with many vilanous wordes, answered not a
worde. 1603 Shaks. Meas.for M. v. i. 265 One that hath
spoke most villanous speeches of the Duke. 1614 RALtiGH
Hist. IVorld v, i. 285 Princes doe rather pardon ill deedes,
than Villanous words.
t*4. Shameful, atrocious, horrible. Obs.
1536 Pilgr. Per/, (W. de W. 1531) 301 b, Euer conspyrynge
for thy grace the moost vyllaynous & sha'mefull deth
of the crosse. 1529 More Dial. Concern. Heresyes iv. vii.
106/2 To pyteouse and to abomynable were yt to reherse
the vylanouse payne and tormentys that they deuysed on
y» sely women, a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon Ixx. 239 They
are worthy to receyue a velaynous dethe. x6io Holland
Camden's Brit. 359 Prince Edward . . was there put to death
and in most shamefull and vilanous maner his branes dashed
out. 16x6 Barbonr^s Bruce (Hart) 373 As Sir Dauid the
good Brechyne. .Was put to sa villanous a dead.
+ b. Villainous judgement^ a sentence of extreme
severity (see quot. 1641) passed on one
found guilty of conspiracy or other grave offence.
1607 Cowell Interpr.^ VUlenous iudgement . .\% that
whicn casteth the reproch and shame vpon him against
whom it is giuen, as a Conspirltour, &c. 1641 Tcrmes de
la Ley 264 Villeiiious judgment is., that the party found
guilty shall lose the benefit of the law, ..that his lands,
goods & chattels shall be seised into the Kings hands, . . and
his trees digd up, and his body imprisoned. ^ 1769 Black-
.STONE Comm. IV. 136 It now is the better opinion, tliat the
villenous judgment is by long disuse become obsolete; it
not having been pronounced for some ages.
6. Kxtremely bad or objectionable ; atrocious,
detestable.
1596 Shaks. i Hen. 11^, 11. i. 15, I thinke this is llie most
villanous house in al London rode for Fleas. X598 —
Merry IV, 111. v. 93 There was the rankest compound of
villanous smell, that euer offended nostrilL 1607 B. Barnes
Divils Charter v. ii. K 4, Out vpon thee, thou hast poysoned
mee with thy stinking breath or with thy villonous powders.
1638 R, Bakkr tr. Balzac's Lett. (vol. Ill) 123 Women
are bound,, .for the very interest of their beauty, to shun a
passion, that makes such villanous faces, and sets so many
wrinkles upon their countenances. x67a Marvell Reh,
Transp, I. 5 The Press (that villanous Engine) invented
much about the same time with the Reformation. X706
Addison Rosamond i. it. Thou art ugly and old, And
a villainous Scold. x8o6 J. Beresford Miseries Hum.
Li/e I. 102 The only place, .which by some villainous mischance
you did not see. x8ax Cobbett Rur. Rides (1885)
I. 20, I passed through that villanous hole, Cricklade,
about two hours ago. 1853 Kane Grinnell Exped. xxvi.
(1856) 214 This is tlje second I have killed with this villainous
carbine. 1884 Chr. World 25 Sept. 719/2 The weather
was villainous. It rained every day.
+ b. k.%adv. Villainously, vilely. Obs,~^
1610 Shaks. Temp. iv. i. 250 We shall loose our time,
And all be turn'd to Barnacles^ or to Apes With foreheads
villanous low.
1 6, Low or base in respect of social position
servile. Obs. (Cf. Villein.)
X607 CoWELL Interir. s.v. Base^ Base lenents be they.,
which do to their lords villeinous service. Ibid, s.v. Villen*
a^e. This villanous soccage is to cary the Lords dung into
bis feilds, to plow his ground [etc]. 1645 Ussher Bod. Div,
(1647) 14J The slavish and villanous estate of the parents is
communicated unto all their off-spring. 1679 Blount A nc.
Tenures 155 note, I suppose, .by sanguiuem suum emere^
was meant, that the Tenant being a Bondman, should buy
out his Villainous blood, and make himself a Freeman.
1766 Blacksione Comm. II. 62 These were the only free
holdings or tenements ; the others were villenous or servile.
7. Comb. J as villainous- looking zfX].
i8^t Borrow Bible in Spain vii. They were villainous,
looking ruffians, 1844 Dickens Pictures fr. Italy (1846)
163 Seeingnothing but. .avillanous-looking shepherd. 1897
Marv Kingslev W. Africa 271, I must admit my good
friend was a villainous-looking savage.
Hence Ti'llainonsness (Bailey, 1727, vol. II).
Villainously (vi*lanasli), adv. Forms : (see
prec). [f. piec] In a villainous manner, in
senses of the adj.; atrociously, vilely, detestably.
VILLAINY.
o. 14S4 Caxton Fables of A uian ix. Better is to lyue in
pouerte tlian to deye vylaynously and uppressyd ofthe ryche.
( 1489 — Hlanchantyn vi. 26 Her true luucr, l?e whiche-.ye
haue betrayd & wounded vylaynously. 1555 Et>EN Decades
(Arb.) 86 Howevylely,vylaynously,and violently he had byn
vsed of owre men. 1585 T. Washington tr. Nicholay's \ oy.
I. XX. 25 They were thus villainously intreied, lying along
the ground as halfe desperate. j639Eut.LER Hoiy li'ariii.
xvii. 137 His Sonne was villainously strangled by Alexius
Ducas. X689 Lond. Gaz. No. 2443/3 On Sunday last Sir
George Lockhart . . was Viilaniously [i/c] Assassinated by on«
Cheeseley, who Shot hiiii through the Lack. 1749 t iklding
yi7/«7