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 … sliked hym in þe myddel of his body, and vansched awey.
14[?]. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 581. Euanco, 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, trans. 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 ye ryuer syde they loste ye syght of ye 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. Daus, trans. 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. trans. 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. Fr. 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, Pardoner’s 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. Pennsyl., IV. 439. The Bill for Raising of Money for the use of the Crown is vanished.
1778. Miss 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. 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, trans. 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 Horn-bk., 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. Longf., 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. trans. Gregory’s Astron. (1726), I. 190. Because the Orbits or 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′ would reach 180°.
1840. Lardner, Geom., 290. The distance between them decreasing without limit, but never vanishing.
1885. Watson & Burbury, Math. Th. 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. Ibid. (1382), Luke xiv. 34. If salt schal vanysche [L. evanuerit], in what thing schal it be sauerid? Ibid., 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 rare.
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.
Hence Vanished ppl. a.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 742. He runs, and chides his vanish’d, loathed delight. Ibid. (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.
