Also 6 venall. [ad. L. vēnāl-is, f. vēnum that which is sold or for sale. So OF. venal, F. vénal, Sp. and Pg. venal, It. venale.]
1. Of things: a. Exposed or offered for sale, that may be bought, as an ordinary article of merchandise. Also, associated or connected with ordinary sale or purchase. Now arch.
1662. Evelyn, Chalcogr., 147. Not as a Venal addition to the price of the Book … but … as a Specimen of what we have alledged.
1663. Boyle, Usef. Exp. Nat. Philos., II. 358. Premising … that by Sal Armoniack I here mean the Factitious and Venal.
1746. Francis, trans. Horace, Epist., II. ii. 14. He sinks in Credit, who attempts to raise His venal Wares with over-rating Praise, To put them off his Hands.
1849. Claridge, Cold Water Cure, 38. Men … avoid water—perhaps because it costs nothing (for, in our artificial life, we are led to esteem things according to their venal price).
1883. Athenæum, 3 Nov., 564/3. The book, though open for many years to the frequenters of great libraries, has not been venal on the shelves of the ordinary bookseller.
1888. Sat. Rev., 7 Jan., 12. The figs … might be venal at the nearest stall without our troubling the stall-keeper.
b. Of offices, privileges, etc.: Capable of being acquired by purchase, instead of being conferred on grounds of merit or regarded as above bargaining for.
1675. Brooks, Gold. Key, Wks. 1867, V. 9. When these places of honour and trust were made venal,… and sold for ready money to such as gave most for them.
1772. in Lett. Lit. Men (Camden), 405. In the last Parliament, the places being quite venal, the young men, who had purchased, were the majority.
1796. H. Hunter, trans. St.-Pierre’s Stud. Nat. (1799), III. 169. The face of affairs in France is at present greatly altered; every thing there is now become venal.
1839. J. Mendham (title), The Venal Indulgences and pardons of the Church of Rome, exemplified [etc.].
1845. Ford, Handbk. Spain, I. 5. They see that wealth is safety and power where everything is venal.
1860. Motley, Netherl., ii. (1868), I. 41. All posts and charges were venal.
c. Of support, favor, etc.: That may be bought or obtained for a price; ready to be given in return for some reward without regard for higher principles.
1652. Gaule, Magastrom., 196. Prophecy is not venal, or to be bought and hired with mony and preferments.
1725. Pope, Odyss., II. 217. From him some bribe thy venal tongue requires.
1738. Johnson, London, 198. The Laureate Tribe in venal Verse relate, How Virtue wars with persecuting Fate.
1769. Junius Lett., xi. (1788), 73. You may command a venal vote.
1815. W. H. Ireland, Scribbleomania, 26, note. Deigning to subsidize a venal pen in order to throw a gloss over the flagrant dereliction.
1888. Bryce, Amer. Commw., xliv. II. 165. As the Senate is smaller … the vote of each member is of more consequence, and fetches, when venal, a higher price.
2. Of persons: Capable of being bought over or bribed; ready to lend support or exert influence for purely mercenary considerations; of an unprincipled and hireling character.
1670. Marvell, Corr., Wks. (Grosart), II. 326. We are all venal cowards, except some few.
1748. Anson’s Voy., III. x. 414. Their Magistrates are corrupt … and their tribunals crafty and venal.
1781. Cowper, Table-t., 352. And every venal stickler for the yoke Felt himself crush’d at the first word he spoke.
1842. W. C. Taylor, Anc. Hist., x. § 6 (ed. 3), 284. Venal orators conducted the prosecution.
1881. Froude, Short Stud. (1883), IV. II. vi. 252. Rome was as venal under the popes as Jugurtha found her under the Republic.
3. Connected or associated with sordid and unprincipled bargaining; subject to mercenary or corrupt influences.
1718. Rowe, trans. Lucan, I. 338. Hence slaughter in the venal field returns, And Rome her yearly competitions mourns.
1730–46. Thomson, Autumn, 1067. Thy pathetic eloquence! that … Of honest Zeal th’ indignant lightning throws, And shakes Corruption on her venal throne.
1796. Burke, Regic. Peace, Wks. VIII. 194. To squander us away … for a venal enlargement of their own territories.
1838. Prescott, Ferd. & Is. (1846), III. xxiv. 371. No one has accused him of attempting to enrich his exchequer by the venal sale of office.
1885. Fargus, Slings & Arrows, 62. The compartment of the train which was, by a venal arrangement of the guard’s, reserved to ourselves.
