▪ I. vanish, n.
(ˈvænɪʃ)
[f. the vb.]
1. Disappearance; vanishment.
| 1650 T. Vaughan Anthroposophia 58 This Vanish, or ascent of the inward Ethereall Principles doth not presently follow their separation. 1872 ‘Mark Twain’ Roughing It iii. 33 He..left for San Francisco at a speed which can only be described as a flash and a vanish. |
2. spec. A gradual cessation of a sound; a slight sound in which another ends; a glide.
| 1833 Rush Human Voice (ed. 2) 319 The Drift of the downward Vanish. |
▪ II. vanish, v. (
ˈvænɪʃ)
Forms: α. 4–5
vanysche (4
-yȝsche, 5
-yssche,
-yche, 6
-ysch), 4–6
vanysshe (5
-yssh,
wanyssh-); 4
vanyshe, 5–6
vanysh; 4, 6
Sc.,
vanisch (6
Sc. wanische,
wenisch), 5–7
vanishe (6
-isshe), 6–
vanish (6
vannish,
Sc. wanish); 4–5
vanesche (5
-essche,
-esshe,
-esce,
-eche). β. 4–5, 6
Sc.,
vanys,
-yss (5
vaynyss-, 5–6
Sc. wanys-), 5
wanyse, 6
Sc. vanyse; 4–5, 6
Sc.,
vanis(s)-, 6
Sc. wanis(s)-; 5
waynes-,
Sc. wanes-, 6
Sc. waneis. γ. 4
vansch-, 5
vanshe,
wansh-,
wanse.
[Aphetic ad. OF. evaniss-: see evanish v.] 1. intr. To disappear from sight, to become invisible,
esp. in a rapid and mysterious manner:
a. With
away;
occas. with addition of
out of or
from sight, etc. Now
rare.
| α 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 8195 Wyþ þe croys she gan here blys, þan þey vanysshed aweye as swyþe. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) V. 435 Whanne þis was i-seide he vanysshed awey. c 1400 Rom. Rose 2955 He vanyshide awey alle sodeynly, And I alloone lefte alle soole. c 1450 Mirk's Festial 11 Þen anon þys fend vanechet away wyth an horrybull stenche. 1470–85 Malory Arthur ii. viii. 85 Therwith merlyn vanysshed awey sodenly. 1545 Udall, etc. Erasm. Par. Luke 182 b, After these woordes spoken, the Aungels vanished awaye from theyr sight. 1706 Phillips (ed. Kersey), To Disappear,..to vanish away, to go out of sight. 1809 Shelley ‘For my dagger’ 17 Where the phantoms of Prejudice vanish away. 1890 Doyle White Company xxiv, When I see the last sail..vanishing away against the western sky. |
| β c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 2269 And when þe devel herd hym þus say, Alle skomfit he vanyst oway. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xlii. (Agatha) 280 Away son Þai vanist but ony hone, Of þar sicht wanest away, & neuire ware sene to þis day. c 1440 Alph. Tales 516 When he had done, sodanlie he vanyssid away. 1456 Sir G. Haye Law Arms (S.T.S.) 42 Na man..mycht se him, nor na bit of his body, bot vanyst fra thair sicht away. 1513 Douglas æneid iii. vi. 109 The strait soundis of the mont Pelory Wanysis away pece and pece. |
| γ 1375 in Horstmann Altengl. Leg. (1878) 128/1 Anon þe deuel vanschede awaye. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) V. 177 Mercurius..stiked hym in þe myddel of his body, and vansched awey. 14.. Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 581 Euaneo, to vanshe a wey. |
b. Without
away.
| α 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xii. 293 Riȝt with þat he vanesched. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1001 Dido, To Cartage she bad he shuld hym dyght And vanysshed anon out of hys syght. 14.. Tundale's Vis. 519 The angell vaneschyd and he stod stylle. 1530 Palsgr. 765/1 A spyrite wyll vanysshe and come agayne in the twynkelyng of an eye. 1582 Stanyhurst æneis ii. (Arb.) 68 Fare ye wel, ô husband, oure yoong babye charely tender. This sayd, shee vannisht. 1609 Dekker Gull's Horn-bk. 20 [This] notable Act being performed, you are to vanish presently out of the Quire. 1638 Sir T. Herbert Trav. (ed. 2) 11 She againe deluded us, after two houres chase as a phantasma vanishing towards Goa. 1662 J. Davies tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 261 We had hardly alighted, but our Pistols were taken away, and what was not lock'd up immediately vanish'd. 1757 Gray Bard 104 They melt, they vanish from my eyes. 1797 Mrs. Radcliffe Italian xi, Whose dark figures, passing without sound, vanished like shadows. 1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. I. 11 That land, now vanishing from my view, which contained all that was most dear to me in life. 1856 Kane Arct. Expl. I. xviii. 225 Its curved face..vanished into unknown space. |
| β c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints xix. (Christopher) 267 With þat criste fra hyme wanyst, & hame he passit til his bewist. a 1400–50 Alexander 1113 (Ashm.), Þan waynest him þis vayne god & voidis fra þe chambre. c 1480 Henryson Fables, Lion & Mouse xliii, And with that word he vanist, and I woke. 1490 Caxton Eneydos xvi. 64 Mercuryus, yet spekynge, vaynyssed oute of eneas sight. |
| γ 1375 in Horstmann Altengl. Leg. (1878) 132 Þe addre..vanschede out of here siȝt. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xvi. 24 Whanne he hadde seide so how sodeynlich he vanshede. |
† c. In perfect tense with
be;
esp. was vanished = had vanished.
Obs.| 1390 Gower Conf. II. 259 Thus it befell..Sche was vanyssht riht as hir liste, That no wyht bot hirself it wiste. a 1400 Partonope (Univ. Coll. MS.) 826 (2568), With that worde sodenly they be Vanesshid a-way, that trewly he Wote neuer where they be become. c 1425 Lydg. Assembly of Gods 1188 So sodenly As they were vanysshyd saw I neuer thyng with ey. c 1480 Henryson Orpheus & Eurydice 113 And quhen scho wanyst was and Invisible, Hir madin wepit. a 1533 Ld. Berners Huon xxiii. 68 By that tyme they had gone a lytyll by y⊇ ryuer syde they loste y⊇ syght of y⊇ castell, it was clene vanysshyd a way. a 1628 F. Greville Cælica xli, And I poore Ixion to my Iuno vowed, With thoughts to clip her, clipt my owne desire: For she was vanisht, I held nothing fast. 1648 Hexham ii, Het is verstoven,..it is Vanished away as dust. |
d. In
fig. use.
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 116 Those spirites by lytle and lytle, vanyshed cleane out of syght [i.e. in popular belief]. 1642 D. Rogers Naaman 7 He that reads it as a bare miracle will onely vanish in a wondering humor. 1737 Gentl. Mag. VII. 292 The Epick Poets not only..immediately shew the Effects of the Inspiration they pray for,..they actually vanish from our View. 1843 Carlyle Past & Pr. ii. i, And in this manner vanishes King Lackland. 1866 G. Macdonald Ann. Q. Neighb. xxix. (1878) 497 Straining their eyes after their brothers and sisters that have vanished in the dark. |
2. To disappear by decaying, coming to an end, or ceasing to exist:
a. With
away.
| α c 1340 Hampole Prose Tr. 32 Þe affeccyone of lufe es tendir and lyghtly will vanysche awaye. a 1425 tr. Arderne's Treat. Fistula, etc. 88 When he seþe..þe bolnyng for to vanysh away, and þe akyng for to be cesed. 1490 Caxton Eneydos vii. 32 Their auncyent customes..vanysshed awaye as thei neuer had be vsed. 1530 Palsgr. 765/1 And a woman be ones fourty, her beautye wyll vanisshe awaye. 1535 Coverdale Isaiah li. 6 The heauens shal vanish awaye like smoke. a 1600 in Montgomerie's Poems (S.T.S. Suppl. Vol.) 241 Bott quhat so ever waxis auld, it wenischis away. 1648 Hexham ii, Verdwijnen, to Vanish away as smoake. 1804–6 Syd. Smith Mor. Philos. (1850) 407 You will linger on..after the blood, and the taste, and the sweetness are vanished away. 1839 F. A. Kemble Resid. in Georgia (1863) 32 If the mind and soul were awakened, instead of mere physical good attempted, the physical good would result, and the great curse vanish away. 1859 Fitzgerald Omar lxxii, Alas, that Spring should vanish with the Rose! |
| β c 1374 Chaucer Boeth. iii. pr. iv. (1868) 74 Her honours vanissen awey and þat on oon. 1513 Douglas æneid i. ix. 13 The clude about thame swith was brokin, And wanist tyte away amang the air. |
| γ 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) VIII. 157 But fal[s]nes i-feyned vanscheþ awey in schort tyme. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 226 His bestys dyeden in yche dyche, His katelle wanshed alle away. |
b. Without adverb.
| α c 1350 Will. Palerne 639 Hit schal veraly þurth vertue do vanisch ȝour soris! c 1386 Chaucer Pard. T. 404 Lo how I vanysshe, flessh and blood and skyn. 1560 Bible (Geneva) Jer. xlix. 7 Is wisdome no more in Teman?..is their wisdome vanished? 1576 Fleming Panopl. Epist. 211 The benefite of the same will utterly decay and vanish. 1617 Moryson Itin. ii. 124 The fortifying of the Spaniards at Sligo vanished with the rumour. 1695 Wood Life (O.H.S.) 13 April, The cold began to vanish and the north-east wind change. 1740 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. IV. 439 The Bill for Raising of Money for the use of the Crown is vanished. 1778 F. Burney Evelina xxvii, I own my objections have almost wholly vanished. 1820 W. Irving Sketch Bk. I. 42 A little while, and the smile will vanish from that cheek. 1852 H. Rogers Ecl. Faith (1853) 166 Very much, indeed, that I wished to remember has vanished. 1874 Carpenter Ment. Phys. i. vi. (1879) 285 Even those who had previously been most successful..found all their success vanish. |
| β, γ 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xvi. 8 So myghte happe, Þat..vanshie [should] alle myne vertues and myne faire lockes. c 1440 J. Capgrave Life St. Kath. i. 487 It wyll wanyse & wast, roten & be brent. 1533 Gau Richt Vay 31 Quhen he gettis ony aduersite or persecutione, thane it [sc. his faith] wanissis and wauers as ane dreyme. 1596 Dalrymple tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. II. 239 How sune vanisses that plesure, quhilke mortall man callis felicitie. |
c. Const.
into (air, smoke, etc.).
| 1590 Marlowe 2nd Pt. Tamburl. v. iii, Weepe heauens, and vanish into liquid teares. 1609 Dekker Gull's Hornbk. 27 Plaudities, and the Breath of the great Beast, which (like the threatnings of two Cowards) vanish all into aire. 1617 Moryson Itin. ii. 44 The ill successe of the Queenes affaires (whose great expences and Royall Army they had seene vanish into smoke). 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 575 Surprize him first,..Then all his Frauds will vanish into Wind. 1807 Hogg Mountain Bard, Mess John xxiv, If the cock be heard to crow, The charm will vanish into air. 1842 Longfellow Belfry of Bruges iv, Wreaths of snow-white smoke ascending, vanished, ghost-like into air. |
d. Math. Of numbers or quantities: To become zero.
| 1715 tr. Gregory's Astron. (1726) I. 190 Because the Orbits of Mercury and Venus..do almost vanish in respect of the Orbit of Saturn. 1789 Phil. Trans. LXXIX. 175 This series..only differs from it by the last term S o not vanishing, that is, being = 0. 1823 H. J. Brooke Introd. Crystallogr. 201 The axis must vanish, before the planes P and P{p} would reach 180°. 1840 Lardner Geom. 290 The distance between them decreasing without limit, but never vanishing. 1885 Watson & Burbury Math. Electr. & Magn. I. 42 All the terms will vanish except those in which the multiples of ϕ are the same. |
† 3. To become worthless or vain.
Obs.| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 419 Ȝif salt vanyȝsche awey it is not worþ aftir but to be castun out. 1382 ― Luke xiv. 34 If salt schal vanysche [L. evanuerit], in what thing schal it be sauerid? ― Rom. i. 21 Thei vanyscheden [L. evanuerunt] in her thouȝtis. 1387 Trevisa Higden (Rolls) III. 347 Þe apostel seiþ þat suche philosofres vansched away in here þouȝtes. |
4. trans. To cause to disappear; to remove from sight. Now chiefly with reference to conjuring.
| c 1440 Alph. Tales 45 And with þat he vanysshid his enchawntement, & þer was oght nott lefte of all þat hym þoght he saw. 1590 Marlowe 2nd Pt. Tamburl. v. iii, Thus are the villaines..fled for feare, Like Summers vapours, vanisht by the Sun. 1604 Meet. Gallants at Ordinarie 5 Say thou'st slayne Foure hundred Silkweauers,..vanisht As many Tapsters, Chamberlaines, and Ostlers. 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts, N.T. 47 Whose bodies have been vanished into all the Elements. 1679 Penn Addr. Prot. ii. 93 And were Liturgies..so framed,..Schisms on Opinion were utterly vanished. 1709 Mrs. Manley Secr. Mem. (1736) III. 74 Whilst she was going to enquire who had sent it, the Child was dextrously vanish'd from the place. 1768–74 Tucker Lt. Nat. (1834) II. 656 You might as well think of haranguing a man out of a fever, as go to vanish his scruples arising from that cause by the remonstrances of reason. 1886 Pall Mall G. 23 Dec. 4/1 Then he vanishes a birdcage and its occupant... Finally, he vanishes his wife. 1934 H. G. Wells Exper. Autobiogr. I. v. 264 Lenin conjured government by mass-democracy out of sight, ‘vanished’ it as conjurors say, by his reorganization of the Communist Party. 1949 [see disappear v. 3]. 1981 Daily Tel. 4 Jan. 6/8 Thurston..could make a girl disappear from a cage suspended in mid-air, or vanish a girl playing a piano (and the piano). |
Hence
vanished (
ˈvænɪʃt)
ppl. a.| 1593 Shakes. Lucr. 742 He runs, and chides his vanish'd, loathed delight. c 1600 ― Sonn. xxx, Then can I..mone th' expence of many a vannisht sight. |
| 1812 Byron Ch. Har. ii. xl, Oft did he mark the scenes of vanish'd war. 1867 Morris Jason i. 394 Strange questions of the race of vanished men. Ibid. x. 554 And their hearts too, with thoughts of vanished years Were pensive. 1890 Science-Gossip XXVI. 108 Specimens of lifeless and shells of defunct and vanished univalves and bivalves. |