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VIOLENT.
In later use (f>) tending to a weaker sense.
[a) 1398 Tkevisa Barth, De I\ R. m. xv, (1495) 60 By
vyolent stoppyng of the throte and of the arter>'es. 15*6
Pilsr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 114b, By the violent fall of
the sayd crosse in to the morteys. a 1547 Si;rrev in Totters
Misc. (Arb.) 27 The lofty pyne the great winde often riiies
With violenter swey falne turrets stepe. 1595 Shaks. ^ohn
V, vii. 49 Oh, I am scalded with my violent motion And
spleene of speede, to see your Maiesty. 1601 — A/fs Weil
in. ii. 113 O you leaden mess^igers, That ride vpon the
violent speede of fire. 16&4 H. Power Exp. Philos, 93 We
perceived., the little particles of air.. on the suddain to
become more visible by a violent and rapid dilatation. 1669
SruRMV Mariner's Mag. v. xii. 60 The Piece is Level, and
will carry the Bullet Horizontally in his violent Course.
17*5 De You. Voy. round World (1840) 332 There was.,
some more violent motion at a distance. 1798 S. & Ht.
Lf.k Canterb, T. \\. 133 Wine acted powerfully on a constitution
already feverish with violent exercise. 1837 Whe-
WKLL Hist. Induct. Sci. (1857) I. 7 Classifying them into
Natural Motions and Violent Motions.
Kb) x8s7 Miller Elem. Chem., Org. viii. 536 The action of
bromine upon indigo is analogous tothat of chlorine, though
It is less violent. 186a H. Spencer First Princ. r. v. § 32
(1875) iig During those early stages. .both political and
religious changes., are necessarily violent ; and necessarily
entail violent retrogressions. 1868 Bain Mental ^ Mor.
Set. IV. iii. 341 A certain impetus has been given,. .and, if
restrained outwardly, it seems to be more violent inwardly.
c. Tending to wrest or pervert the meaning,
i7»o Watekland Eight Serm. 104 That we ought not to
be wise beyond what is written, nor put a violent Construetion
on any Passages.
5. t a. In violent, by force or constraint. Obs—^
c 1440 Al/^h. Tales 148 feii. .told hym M \>a\ tuke not his
son & made him freer ( = friar J in violent, bod he ofTerd hym
^erto on his awn gude wilt.
t b. Due or subject to constraint or force ; not
free or voluntary ; forced. Oh.
1560 Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 124 They desyre the I
kynge to forsee, that there be no violent counseil called, in j
a place suspect & perillous, to the intent that vnder the
name of a counsel, the true doctrine be not extinguished.
1574 Hellowes Guenara's Earn. Ep. (1577) 297 All violent
marriages engender hatred betwixt the married. i6a5 N. ,
Carpenter Geog. Del. 11. v. (1635) 71 This conformity of the
water dropps in a round figure Is rather Violent, then
Naturall. 1667 Milton P. L. iv. 97 Ease would recant
Vows made in pain, as violent and void.
c. Of death : Caused by or due to physical vio- 1
lence ;
not natural.
1588 Shaks. Tit. A. v. ii. 108, I pray thee doe on them !
some violent death. 1593 — 2 Hen. F/, i. iv. 34 The Duke :
yet liues, that Henry shall depose: But him out*liue, and
dye a violent death. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. 11. xxL 114
Though Soveraignty..is,..in its own nature, not only sub- '
ject to violent death, by forreign war ; but also [etc. J. 1790 \
Palev Sert$t. Wk:e danger of the ;eirlie violent proffeittis
vpoun the persones. 1678 Sir G. Mackenzie Crim.
Laws Scot. II. vi. \ 4 (1699) 190 When spoiliies or ejections
arc civilly pursued, the conclusion is violent profits (which
is the double Rent of the Lands, and restitution of thething
craved). 175a W. Stewart in Scots Mag. (1753) 294/1 It
can be no more than violent profits, which is often modified
in inferior courts. 1765-8 Erskine Inst. Law Scot. \u vl
{ 54 Violent profits arc so called, because they become due
on the tenant s forcible or unwarrantable detaining the
possession after he ought to have removed. 1814 Scott
Wav. Ixvi, Even when ye hae gottt;n decreet of spuilzie,
(^pression, and violent profits against them. 1838 W, Bkll
Diet. Latv Scot. 1028 In rural tenements, the violent profits
are held to be the full profits which the landlord could have
made... In urban tenements, the violent profits are generally
estimated at double the stipulated rent.
6. Of persons, their temper, etc. : Displaying or
exhibiting passion, excessive ardour, or lack of
moderation in action or conduct. Cf. sense 3.
1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. in. § 149 If this Bill were once
passed.. the Violenter Party would be never able to prosecute
their Designs. 1654 Gataker Disc. Apol. 27 Some of
the violenter sort of the other partic. 1706 Hearne Collect.
(O.H.S.) 1. 291 Dunster, one of y« Violentest Whiggs. 1715
Burnet Hiit. Own Time (1766) I. 155 One of the violentest
Ministers of the whole party. 1769 Burkk Corr. (1844) I.
215 He entertained me with an account of the present state
of Lord Chatham's politics ; violent, as before, against the
ministry. 1858 Ld. Granville in Fitzmaurice Li/e (1905)
I. 306 Shaftesbury,. is much more violent for you than he
was against you. x888 S. Maimon Antob. ix. 59 In my
passions I was violent and fmpatient.
ahsol. 1681 pRVDEN Abs. ^ Achit. To Rdr.,The Violent on
both sides will condemn the Character of Absalom. 17x3
Pope Lett. (1735) I. 200, I am no way displeased that I
have offended the Violent of all Parties already.
7. Of language, or writings: Resulting from, indicative
or expressive of, strong feeling.
1749 Fielding Tom Jones xi. v, Hc.concludedbya very
fond caress, and many violent protestations of love. 1818
Scott Hrt, Midi, xiv, The letter,.. the contents of which
were as singular as the expression was violent. i8a6 Disraeli
Viv. Grey v. xi He wrote violent letters, protesting
his innocence. i8^» j. Morlev Voltaire (1886) 5 The temperament
which mistakes strong expression for strong judgment,
and violent phrase for grounded conviction.
II, 8. In intensive use: Very or extremely
I that
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I great, strong, or severe, a. In legal nse, chiefly
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