heinous, a.
(ˈheɪnəs)
Forms: 4–8 heynous, 5 -nȝous, -nos, heneus, 5–7 haynous(e, 5–9 hainous, 6 h(e)yghnous(e, heighnous, heynouse, hanouse, hainus, 6– heinous.
[a. F. haineux, in OF. haïnos, haïneus (12th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), f. haine hatred, f. ha-ïr to hate.]
1. Hateful, odious; highly criminal or wicked; infamous, atrocious: chiefly characterizing offences, crimes, sins, and those who commit them.
| c 1374 Chaucer Troylus ii. 1568 (1617) So heynous þat men myghte on it spete. c 1489 Caxton Blanchardyn liv. 215 To kill a man is hainous murder. 1512 Act 4 Hen. VIII, c. 2 Preamble, Felonies..don in more heynous open & detestable wyse. 1513 More Rich. III, Wks. 54/1 Worthye to bee punished as heighnous traitors. 1529 ― Dyaloge iii. Ibid. 209/2 The more heyghnouse, odiouse, & abhominable that the crime is, the more slow should we be to beleue it. 1549 Cheke Hurt Sedit. (1641) 52 Set murther aside, it is the hainousest fault to a private man. 1555 W. Watreman Fardle Facions ii. ix. 192 Thei compted none offence more heinous then thefte. 1648 Shorter Catech. Westm. Assemb. (1718), Q. 83. Are all Transgressions of the Law equally hainous? A. Some Sins in themselves, and by reason of several aggravations, are more hainous in the sight of God than others. 1667 Milton P.L. x. 1 The hainous and despightfull act Of Satan done in Paradise. 1683 Col. Rec. Pennsylv. I. 87 A Heynous and Grevious Crime. 1705 Stanhope Paraphr. II. 436 The Heinousest of Malefactors. 1772 Junius Lett. lxviii. 357 You are guilty of a heinous aggravation of your offence. 1845 R. Jebb in Encycl. Metrop. II. 710/1 Heinous offenders, whose crimes afford proof of an incorrigibly bad disposition. 1869 Freeman Norm. Conq. III. xii. 251 A sin of the most heinous dye. |
b. transf. from crimes or offences to the accusation or charge, or view taken of them.
| 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VI, 167 b, Against whom..wer laied diverse and heinous articles of high treason. 1555 in Strype Eccl. Mem. (1721) III. App. xlvi. 138 Who had..just and heynouse matter agaynst theym. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. ii, Contraband trade..is not usually looked upon..in a very heinous point of view. 1875 Stubbs Const. Hist. III. xviii. 148 The greater and more heinous charges included in the first bill. |
† 2. Grievous, grave, severe. Obs.
| 1541 R. Copland Guydon's Quest. Chirurg., To clense the blode of haynous superfluytees. 1552 Latimer Serm. & Rem. (1845) 54 It shall be a heinous sentence unto them, when he shall say unto them..‘Go, ye cursed, into ever⁓lasting fire’. 1645 Milton Tetrach. (1851) 225 These men..will suffer the worst and hainousest inconveniences to follow. 1675 Brooks Gold. Key Wks. 1867 V. 200 That the sufferings of Christ have been..very great and heinous. |
† 3. Expressing or denoting hatred; full of hate, malicious. Obs.
| ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 268 [He] said what hym lykyde, Hethely in my halle, wyth heynȝous wordes. a 1547 Surrey æneid ii. 92 To wreke Their hainous wrath wyth shedyng of my bloud. 1578 T. N. tr. Conq. W. India 264 The heinous and injurious words which he had heard. 1580 Sidney Arcadia i. (1590) 49 Which hee..tooke in so hainous maner. |