villainous, a.
(ˈvɪlənəs)
Forms: α. 4 vylayneus, 5–6 vylaynous, 6 velaynous, vilaynouse; 6 vyllayn-, villayn-, 6– villainous (7 villainus, -einous). β. 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. γ. 6 velanus-, velanous, 7 vealinous.
[f. villain n. + -ous, or ad. OF. vilenneus insulting, defamatory.]
1. Of persons: † a. Churlish, ill-bred, unmannerly. Obs. rare.
| 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1497 Ȝe ar stif in-noghe to constrayne wyth strenkþe, ȝif yow lykez, Ȝif any were so vilanous þat yow devaye wolde. ? a 1366 Chaucer Rom. Rose 178 Ful foule and cherlysshe semed she, And eek vylayneus for to be, And litel coude of norture. |
b. Having the character or disposition of a villain; infamously depraved or wicked; vilely criminal.
| c 1550 Rolland Crt. Venus 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 Manip. 226 Villanouse, flagitiosus. 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, ii. 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 in Foster Eng. Factories Ind. (1908) II. 244 A ploott of that vealinous strompitt Nahar Malle. 1698 Fryer Acc. E. India & P. 368 They are yet reckoned a Villanous sort of Breed. 1719 De Foe Crusoe ii. (Globe) 500 We have not half done yet, villainous Hell-hound Dogs! 1793 E. Inchbald Ev. One has Faults iii. ii, I repeat, he is the vilest, the most villanous of men. 1839 Darwin Voy. Nat. iv. 83, I should think such a villanous, banditti-like army, was never before collected together. 1855 Brewster 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 the Play (1883) I. 116 Mr. Cowper gave a..careful portraiture of the villanous Stukely. |
c. Miserable, wretched. rare—1.
| 1582 Stanyhurst æneis ii. (Arb.) 45 Oh, quod he, what region shal shrowd mee villenus owtcast? |
2. a. Of actions: Of the nature of villainy; marked by depravity or vileness of conduct; deserving severe condemnation on moral grounds.
| 14.. Chaucer's L.G.W. 1824 (Fairf.), Allas of the thys was a vilenouse dede. 1573–80 Baret Alv. s.v., A Vilanous and shamefull act. 1599 Dallam in Early Voy. Levant (Hakluyt Soc.) 84 He came but to speake with our Turke aboute their vilanus plott. 1664 H. More Myst. Iniq. 111 Which Figment is still the more vile, if we consider..with what villainous and barbarous injuries it must necessarily be conceived to be accompanied. 1681 H. Hallywell Melamp. 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 rage led them to one villanous action, they would soon go on to another. 1772 Priestley Inst. Relig. (1782) I. 127 One villainous action is sufficient to imbitter a man's whole life. 1813 Shelley Q. Mab iv. 184 Their cold hearts blend Deceit with sternness, ignorance with pride, All that is mean and villanous. 1837 Lytton E. Maltrav. ix. ii, I have done a villanous thing, but I thought it only a clever one. 1846 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.
| 1828 Southey Epistle to Allan Cunningham, I shall show thee, Allan,..an array of villainous visages. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop xxix, Isaac [had] a very ill-favoured face, and a most sinister and villainous squint. 1841 Borrow Zincali I. iv. ii. 284 With an expression so extremely villanous, that I felt uneasy. 1863 [see leer n.2]. |
3. Of words, etc.: Pertaining to or characteristic of a villain; vile, scurrilous; offensively opprobrious or profane.
| α 1470–85 Malory Arth. i. xxvii. 74 The most vylaynous and lewdest message that euer man herd sente vnto a kynge. 1529 More Dyaloge iv. Wks. 261/2 Thus these wretched heretiques..lay more vilaynouse rebuke to the great maieste of god, than euer any one ribaude layd vnto a nother. 1532 ― Confut. Tindale Wks. 602/2 Wee fynde not that he called hym false wretche, nor no suche vylaynous word. a 1700 Evelyn Diary 28 Apr. 1696, A most villainous reviling book against K. James. 1782 F. Burney Cecilia ix. viii, My heart swelled with indignation at so villainous a calumny. 1883 Stevenson Treas. Isl. i. i, He at last broke out with a villainous, low oath. |
| β 1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. lxvi. 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 ii. (1569) M viij b, Pericles being prouoked to anger with many vilanous wordes, answered not a worde. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. v. i. 265 One that hath spoke most villanous speeches of the Duke. 1614 Raleigh Hist. World v. i. 285 Princes doe rather pardon ill deedes, than Villanous words. |
† 4. a. Shameful, atrocious, horrible. Obs.
| 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 301 b, Euer conspyrynge for thy grace the moost vyllaynous & shamefull 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 lxx. 239 They are worthy to receyue a velaynous dethe. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. 359 Prince Edward..was there put to death and in most shamefull and vilanous maner his branes dashed out. 1616 Barbour'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., Villenous iudgement..is that which casteth the reproch and shame vpon him against whom it is giuen, as a Conspiritour, &c. 1641 Termes de la Ley 264 Villeinous 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 Blackstone Comm. IV. 136 It now is the better opinion, that the villenous judgment is by long disuse become obsolete; it not having been pronounced for some ages. |
5. a. Extremely bad or objectionable; atrocious, detestable.
| 1596 Shakes. 1 Hen. IV, ii. i. 15, I thinke this is the most villanous house in al London rode for Fleas. 1598 ― Merry W. iii. 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. Baker tr. Balzac's Lett. (vol. III) 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. 1672 Marvell Reh. Transp. i. 5 The Press (that villanous Engine) invented much about the same time with the Reformation. 1706 Addison Rosamond i. ii, Thou art ugly and old, And a villainous Scold. 1806 J. Beresford Miseries Hum. Life I. 102 The only place..which by some villainous mischance you did not see. 1821 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 the second I have killed with this villainous carbine. 1884 Chr. World 25 Sept. 719/2 The weather was villainous. It rained every day. |
† b. As adv. Villainously, vilely. Obs.—1
| 1610 Shakes. Temp. iv. i. 250 We shall loose our time, And all be turn'd to Barnacles, or to Apes With foreheads villanous low. |
† 6. Low or base in respect of social position; servile. Obs. (Cf. villein.)
| 1607 Cowell Interpr. s.v. Base, Base tenents be they..which do to their lords villeinous service. Ibid. s.v. Villenage, This villanous soccage is to cary the Lords dung into his feilds, to plow his ground [etc.]. 1645 Ussher Bod. Div. (1647) 143 The slavish and villanous estate of the parents is communicated unto all their off-spring. 1679 Blount Anc. Tenures 155 note, I suppose..by sanguinem suum emere, was meant, that the Tenant being a Bondman, should buy out his Villainous blood, and make himself a Freeman. 1766 Blackstone Comm. II. 62 These were the only free holdings or tenements; the others were villenous or servile. |
7. Comb., as villainous-looking adj.
| 1777 J. Woodforde Diary 22 July (1924) I. 209 The Hangman was an old Man and a most villainous looking Fellow indeed. 1842 Borrow Bible in Spain vii, They were villainous-looking ruffians. 1844 Dickens Pictures from Italy (1846) 163 Seeing nothing but..a villanous-looking shepherd. 1897 M. Kingsley W. Africa 271, I must admit my good friend was a villainous-looking savage. |
Hence ˈvillainousness (Bailey, 1727, vol. II).