criminous, a.
(ˈkrɪmɪnəs)
Also 5 crymynous, 6 crimynous, cryminous, Sc. criminois.
[a. AFr. criminous = OF. crimineux (15th c. in Godef.), ad. L. crīminōsus, f. crīmen crime.]
† 1. Of the nature of a crime; full of or marked by crime or grave offence; criminal. ? Obs.
| 1483 Caxton æsop (1889) 63 The sayd shepherd commysed a crymynous dede. 1562 Act 5 Eliz. c. 23 §1 To continue their sinful and criminous Life. 1593 Norden Spec. Brit. M'sex i. 8 Carping at euerie fault, holding the smallest errour..verie criminous. 1674 P. du Moulin Papal Tyranny 47 A deeply criminous forgery. 1858 Sat. Rev. VI. 204/1 My criminous iambics. |
2. Of persons: Guilty of crime. Now chiefly in the technical criminous clerk (see clerk n. 1).
| 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. III. 535 Of his men War criminois vther nyne or ten. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. (1882) 107 To giue sentence..vpon any criminous person. 1611 Speed Hist. Gt. Brit. ix. vi. (1632) 504 That Clerks criminous should be tried before secular Judges. 1659 Hammond On Ps. li. 4 Paraphr. 262 The most criminous rebell. 1722 Bp. Wilson in Keble Life xvi. (1863) 497 Tending to the encouragement of the criminous and refractory. 1847 W. Maskell Mon. Rit. III. p. cxxix, Of punishing criminous clerks. 1892 Times 29 Apr. 9/2 Bishops at present have to get rid of criminous clerks at a cost which is almost prohibitory. |
† 3. Of or relating to crime; accusing of crime; involving crimination. Obs.
| 1533 More Debell. Salem Wks. 995/2 Concerning great crimynous wytnesses to be taken in great criminal causes. 1600 Holland Livy ii. vii. 48 Exposed unto criminous slanders. 1650 Bulwer Anthropomet. 124 Some..dare to make this criminous proposition against very Nature. |