▪ I. vile, a., adv., and n.
(vaɪl)
Forms: 3–4 vil (3 uil, 4 wil), 3–5 vyl (5 wyl), 5–6 vyll; 3–7 vyle (4 uyle, 5–6 Sc. wyle), 3– vile (3–4 file, 4–5 wile, 5 Sc. wille).
[a. AF. and OF. (also mod.F.) vil masc., vile fem. (= Pr., Sp., Pg. vil, It. vile):—L. vīlem, vīlis of low value or price, cheap, common, mean, base.]
A. adj.
1. Of actions, conduct, character, etc.: Despicable on moral grounds; deserving to be regarded with abhorrence or disgust; characterized by baseness or depravity.
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. I. 192/4 Þare ne scholde vil dede ne word neuere fram hire wende. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 4504 Modred..huld hire in spousbruche, in vyl flesses dede. Ibid. 10003 He suor he wolde awreke be of þis vil trespas. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 1586 Here wurdys were al vyle & waste. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xiv. 79 So vengeaunce fel vpon hem, for her vyle synnes. 1393 Ibid. C. xxi. 97 Thenne gan faith foully þe false Iewes to despisen, And calde hem ‘caytifs a-corsed’, for þis was a vil vilanye. c 1450 Holland Howlat 226 The Sparrowe Wenus he wesit for his vyle deidis, Lyand in lichory, laith, vnloveable. 1477 Caxton Dictes 67 Summe thinges that ye loue & preyse ar euil and vyle. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 65 These wycked theues..cloke al this abomination..with the couer of Christianitie, which is the vylest and moste vnworthiest thing, that can be imagined. a 1586 Sidney Psalms v. iv, Let their vile thoughts the thinckers ruine be. 1625 Bacon Ess., Envy (Arb.) 517 It is also the vilest Affection, and the most depraued. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xviii. 89 Not onely an act of an unjust, but also of a vile, and unmanly disposition. 1671 Milton Samson 376 If aught seem vile, As vile hath been my folly, who have profan'd The mystery of God. 1727 De Foe Hist. Appar. iii. (1840) 22 Turning the whole frame of nature upside down by his vile doings there. 1784 Cowper Tiroc. 761 Within some pious pastor's humble cot, Where vile example..May never more be stamp'd upon his breast. 1838 Lytton Alice 82, I see already that from the world, vile as it is, you have nothing of contagion to fear. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair xxxiii, That abandoned wretch,..of whose vile arts he became a victim. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 555 The Earl's past life had been stained by what they regarded as the vilest apostasy. |
b. Used to qualify nouns denoting faults of mind or character. rare.
| a 1340 Hampole Psalter ix. 1 A vile errour it is þat sum men says that god does vnrightwisly. Ibid. xv. 1 Here is þe vile pride of men confoundid. 1567 Satir. Poems Reform. iv. 91 Quhat sall I wryte of ȝoure wyle vanitie? |
c. Of names, etc.: Implying (moral) baseness or depravity.
| 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 383 This greved the moste, y{supt} their religion was described by so vile & contemptuouse a name. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. ii. ii. 107 Where is Demetrius? oh how fit a word Is that vile name, to perish on my sword! 1743 Bulkeley & Cummins Voy. S. Seas Pref. p. xvi, The Gentleman..represented us to the English Merchants in a very vile Light. ? a 1800 A. Young in Baxter Libr. Pract. Agric. (1846) II. p. xxiv, I am disgusted with such vile assertions. 1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1877) II. vii. 104 This was the vilest epithet in the English language. |
2. Of persons: Of a low, base, or despicable character; morally depraved or degraded; capable of the basest conduct.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 1153 Wit all þou sal bi halden vile, Quarsa þou wendes in exile. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 2597 Ȝyf an okerer myȝt founde be, Þey helde hym vyler þan a Iew. c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 8738 (Kölbing), Leggeþ on þe traitours vile, Spareþ nouȝt, ac sle doun riȝt. a 1400–50 Alexander 186 Þan sall þat victoure ȝow venge on ȝour vile fais. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. ii. 731 Repruffand thaim as sottis wille..For to lieff it fayntly, And leif lownderaris caytefly. 1500–20 Dunbar Poems xx. 14 In cumpany cheiss honorable feiris, And fra vyle folkis draw the far on syd. 1535 Coverdale Job xv. 16 An abhominable and vyle man, which dryncketh wickednesse like water. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 237 b, Freers vile in lyfe and learnyng. 1603 Dekker Batchelars Banquet Wks. (Grosart) I. 156, I pray thee wife tell me, where lies thy griefe?..wherevpon the vile woman fetching a deepe sigh, makes this answere. 1677 Earl of Essex in Essex Papers (Camden) II. 133 There is a vile woman who has bin guilty of severall wicked practices here. 1708 Prior Turtle & Sparrow 429 Notions like these, from Men are giv'n, Those vilest Creatures under Heav'n. a 1715 Burnet Own Time (1766) II. 47, I was against the making use of so vile a man. 1807 Crabbe Par. Reg. iii. 578 A victim to the snare, That vile attorneys for the weak prepare. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. v. I. 591 In every age the vilest specimens of human nature are to be found among demagogues. 1883 Stevenson Silverado Sq. (1886) 37 With that vile lad to head them off,..they would have..stumbled through the woods. |
| absol. 1817 Moore Lalla R., Fire-Worshippers ii. 278 Bondage grows Too vile for ev'n the vile to bear! |
b. Applied to animals, esp. of a destructive or dangerous nature.
| 13.. Sir Beues (A.) 2624 Þar-fore hii deide in dedli sinne... After in a lite while Þai be-come dragouns vile. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. xxi. 158 Of alle fretynge venymes þe vilest is þe scorpion. c 1450 Holland Howlat 88 The Howlet wylest in wyce, Raikit vnder the rys. c 1470 Henry Wallace xi. 287 Lordis, behald, inwy the wyle dragoun, In cruell fyr he byrnys this regioun. |
3. Physically repulsive, esp. through filth or corruption; horrid, disgusting.
Also depreciatingly applied to the body.
| a 1300 Sarmun iii. in E.E.P. (1862) 1 To be-hend if we wold loke, wel file hit is þat of us come. Ibid. iv, Hit is wel vile þat commiþ vte. 13.. Seuen Sages (W.) 1353 Was nowt the boi of wit bereued, Whan he tok his fader heued, In a vil gonge slong hit inne? c 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 610 Ilk man..Suld thynk of þe wrechednes of his kynde, Þat es foul, and vile, and wlatsom. c 1375 Sc. Leg. Saints ii. (Paul) 773 At his mastere askit he, quhar-for his birth [sc. a frog] wes sa wile, sa foule, and sa horribyle. c 1425 Wyntoun Cron. ii. 576 In þar bledderis bolnyt bilis And alkyn bruk and skab þat wile is. 1535 Coverdale Phil. iii. 21 Which shal chaunge oure vyle body, y{supt} it maye be like fashioned vnto his glorious body. 1553 Eden Treat. New Ind. (Arb.) 17 The Image..is surely a thing most vyle to beholde, and no less terrible. 1560 Bible (Genev.) Wisd. xi. 13 They..worshiped serpents, that had not the vse of reason, & vile beastes. 16.. Sir W. Mure Sonn. xi. 2 Name spotted, fame defyld,..Too long in such a carioun vyle inclois'd. 1637 Prynne Will in Documents agst. P. (Camden) 96 My vile body I bequeath to the dust. c 1738 Wesley's Hymns (1744) 129 Array'd in glorious Grace Shall these vile Bodies shine. 1746 Francis tr. Horace, Epist. ii. ii. 106 Hence runs a madding Dog..: Thence a vile Pig polluted with the Mire. |
b. Of clothes, etc.: Mean, wretched.
| 1526 Tindale Jas. ii. 2 A man..in goodly apparell and..a poore man in vyle rayment. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 465 b, They put upon him a most vile garment. 1591 Spenser M. Hubberd 465 Farre vnfit it is, that person bace Should with vile cloaths approach Gods maiestie. 1783 Crabbe Village i. 204 Such is that room..Where the vile bands that bind the thatch are seen, And lath and mud are all that lie between. 1819 Shelley Cenci v. i. 85, I will pass, wrapped in a vile disguise; Rags on my back. |
4. Of conditions, situations, treatment, etc.: Base or degrading in character or effect; ignominious. durance vile: see durance 5.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 4374 Wanne hii wolde..noblemen, as ȝe beþ, bringe in so vil seruage. 1340 Ayenb. 181 Huo þet him let ouercome be his ulesse, he is ine a wel zorȝuol þreldome and wel vil. c 1400 Destr. Troy 2140 Hit sittis vs all, For to proffer our persons & our pure goodes, To venge of our velany and our vile harme. c 1460 Towneley Myst. i. 146 Thou has vs doyn a vyle dispyte, and broght thi self to sorow and sitt. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 83 Many thousandes of men..lead away in so miserable & vyle captivitie. 1653 R. Sanders Moles xlviii. 15 A Mole appearing on the lower part, or tip of the right Ear... To a Woman it predicts..she is desperately forlorn, and of most vile conditions. 1718 Prior Henry & Emma 616 Rescue my poor Remains from vile Neglect. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones ii. ii, Such base-born children..ought to be brought up to the lowest and vilest offices of the Commonwealth. 1770–94 [see durance 5]. 1784 Cowper Tiroc. 456 To work at a vile trade For wages so unlikely to be paid. 1879 Farrar St. Paul (1883) 689 He had been a slave, in the vilest of all positions. |
5. Of things: Of little worth or account; mean or paltry in respect of value; held in no esteem or regard. Also absol.
| c 1320 Cast. Love 1112 Woldestou þi finger ȝeue,..So vnworþ and so vyl chaffare to bugge? 1340 Ayenb. 82 Hi ne conne..deme..betuene precious an vil. 1390 Gower Conf. Prol. I. 33 This world..That whilom was so magnefied, And now is old and fieble and vil. 1426 Lydg. De Guil. Pilgr. 21132 A thyng of no valu, And..Most wyl off reputacioun. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 6 b, The transytory honours of this worlde sholde appere to vs vyle and nought. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 233 b, That doctryne began to waxe vyle to him every day more and more. 1670 Moral State Eng. 24 Who contemneth Religion as a vile thing? who never nameth God but in his Oaths or Burlesque? a 1677 Barrow Exp. Creed (1697) 23 The vilest and commonest stones. 1678 R. Barclay Apol. Quakers v. §23. 171 That it may cut off Iniquity from him, and separate betwixt the Precious and the Vile. 1700 Rowe Amb. Step-Moth. i. i. 261 All returns are vile, but Words the poorest. Ibid. 424 Everlasting Fame Grows vile in sight of thee. 1784 Cowper Task v. 589 That low And sordid gravitation of his pow'rs To a vile clod. 1818 Shelley Rosal. & Helen 667 All that others seek He casts away, like a vile weed Which the sea casts unreturningly. 1867 Morris Jason vi. 388 And all the feasts that thou hast shared erewhile With other kings, to mine shall be but vile. 1878 Browning La Saisiaz 75 Thou sea, wherein he counts Not one inch of vile dominion. |
b. Similarly of persons (or animals).
| 1340 Ayenb. 132 Þe zoþe milde wyle by hyalde uor vyl, naȝt ase milde y-praysed. 1390 Gower Conf. Prol. I. 112 To so vil a povere wrecche Him deigneth schewe such simplesce. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. vi. xiv. (Bodl. MS.), Soche children for trespas be made vile pore seruauntes. c 1480 Henryson Fables, Lion & Mouse 10 Thow catyve wreche, and wyle vnworthy thing. 1540–1 Elyot Image Gov. 8 His bondemen and moste vile servauntes. 1548 Latimer Ploughers (Arb.) 27 Appoynte them Judges that are moost abiecte and vyle in the congregation. 1579 Spenser Sheph. Cal. Oct. 37 Abandon then the base and viler clowne, Lyft vp thy selfe out of the lowly dust. 1653 W. Ramesey Astrol. Restored 245 They shall be indigent, poor and vile. 1674 Govt. Tongue iii. 20 Tis God only that hath power of annihilation, and we (vile worms) seek here to steal that incommunicable right. 1718 Pope Iliad ii. 235 But if a clamorous vile plebeian rose, Him with reproof he check'd, or tamed with blows. |
† c. Cheap, low (in price). Obs.
| ? 1490 Rule St. Benet (Caxton) 134 To bye suche cloth that is made in that countre or prouynce, of the vilest and lyghtest pryce. 1551 Crowley Pleas. & Pain 185 In euery place Ye made my bloude vylar then golde. 1598 R. Grenewey Tacitus, Ann. vi. iv. (1622) 127 The value of lands was rated at a very low and vile price. 1601 B. Jonson Ev. Man in his Hum. i. i. 61 For he thats so respectlesse in his course Oft sels his reputation vile and cheape. |
6. Of poor or bad quality; wretchedly bad or inferior.
Now freq. used as an intensive to express strong disapproval or disgust.
| a 1300 Leg. Rood (1871) 34 Þe tre was vil and old. 13.. K. Alis. 5953 (Laud MS.), Þorouȝ goddes wrethe [they] shoten away, In to þat vile contreye. c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 7274, I-wis thei hadde a vile nyȝt; It myȝt haue ben no worse wedur, Off heuene & erthe hadde gon to-gedur. c 1400 Rule of St. Benet 2020 Schos þai sall haue... Of þe farest þai sal not by, Bot þe vilist. 1521 Bradshaw's St. Werburge Prol. 20 [He] toke the payne and laboure Thy legende to translate..Out of latine in Englisshe rude and vyle. 1551 Turner Herbal 115 Cistus..that cummeth out of arabia..is viler then the other be. 1700 Prior Carm. Sec. iv, With the Blood of Jove there always ran Some viler Part, some Tincture of the Man. 1746 Francis tr. Hor., Sat. ii. v. 121 Writes he vile Verses in a frantic Vein? 1756 C. Lucas Ess. Waters III. 259 This vile structure was, this year, removed. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. xvii, This appearance of Craigengelt..is a most vile augury for his future respectability. 1841 Barham Ingol. Leg. Ser. ii. Auto-da-fé, A Vile compound..called Olla podrida. 1851 Ruskin Stones Ven. (1874) I. viii. 91 The vile cathedral of Orleans. 1903 Times 10 Jan. 6/6 It is scarcely possible to conceive a viler day than..this. |
b. Used as an intensive emphasizing some bad quality or condition; † also, heavy, severe.
| a 1400–50 Alexander 4164 Þan fandis he furth,..Come to a velans vale þare was a vile cheele. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1249 The bourder of his basnet [he] brestes in sonder, And videt the viser with a vile dynt. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. ii. i. 265 Will he steale out of his wholsome bed To dare the vile contagion of the Night? 1615 Work for Cutlers 9, I think that Powder is a vile bragger, he doth nothing but cracke. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 474 ¶1 To be obliged to receive and return Visits..is a vile Loss of Time. 1798 Ferriar Illustr. of Sterne ii. 54 The brightest wit is confounded with the vilest absurdity. |
7. Comb., as vile-born, vile-hearted, vile-natured, etc.
| a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VII, 7 Such a dongehyll knaue and vyle borne villeyne. 1591 Spenser M. Hubberd 986 Be therefore counselled herein by me, And shake off this vile harted cowardree. 1607 Tourneur Rev. Trag. i. i, I wonder how ill-featur'd, vile-proportion'd That one should be [etc.]. 1660 Jer. Taylor Ductor i. v. rule 8 §6 The necessities of women married to..morose vile-natur'd husbands. 1888 Doughty Arabia Deserta II. 30 The Hâyil princes..are perhaps mostly like vile-spirited in their youth. |
B. adv. = vilely adv. Now only in combs.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 16461 Iudas stode..for to be-hald and se Hu vile þat þai wit him delt. c 1400 Destr. Troy 2145 Ofte sith hit is sene..That a victor of a victe is vile ouercomyn. 1590 Spenser F.Q. ii. x. 18 The noble daughter of Corineus Would not endure to be so vile disdaind. 1595 Shakes. John ii. i. 586 A most base and vile-concluded peace. 1602 Marston Antonio's Rev. iv. v, No, no song; twill be vile out of tune. a 1734 North Lives, Guilford (1890) I. 288 Roe was a close servant of Monmouth's: which comes vile near siding against his master and benefactor the Duke of York. 1905 Westm. Gaz. 16 Feb. 1/3 The vile-smelling tramp on which we had taken passage. |
† C. n. A base or despicable person. Obs.
| c 1400 Laud Troy Bk. 818 Sche wolde be more certayn That he schulde here no-wayes be-gile Ne holde here afftir for no vile. c 1400 Song of Roland 76 They synnyd so sore in þat ylk while that many men wept and cursid þat vile. 1530 Palsgr. 285/1 Vyle, a noughty person, loricart. |
▪ II. † vile, v. Obs.
Also 4, 6 vyle, 4 vili.
[ad. AF. and OF. viler to blame, revile, or aphetic for avile v.]
1. trans. To bring to a vile or low condition; to abase or degrade. Also refl.
| 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 802 Þus he bigan is mone; Alas, alas, þou luþer wate [= Fortune], þat vilest me þus one, Þat þus clene bringst me adoun. a 1300 Leg. Rood (1871) 34 Þe tre was vil and old; and to vili our lord also..ȝut hem þoȝte þat tre to vair þat he were þeron ido. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. B. 863 Avoy! hit is your vylaynye, ȝe vylen your seluen. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 288 That the hye god omnipotent wolde vouchesafe to vyle hymself so lowe. 1530 Palsgr. 765/2 Thou oughtest to be a shamed to vyle thy selfe with thyn yvell tonge. |
2. To revile.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 25509 Suet lauerd!..þaa felun juus dai and night, vild [Fairf. reuiled] þe wit al þair might. |
3. To defile.
| c 1400 tr. Higden (Rolls) VII. 147 In þe nyȝt byfore he viled hym self [L. se fœdasset] with a comoun womman. |
▪ III. vile
southern ME. var. file n.1, v.1, and v.2
▪ IV. vile
obs. var. ville3.