Viciously

adv. Also 4 uiciouseliche, 5 vicously; 6–8 (9) vitiously. [f. prec. + -LY².] In a vicious manner.

  1.  With addiction or inclination to vice; immorally, dissolutely.

a. 1325.  Prose Psalter, xlviii. 13. Þys her way his sclaunder to hem; and efter hij shul plesen uiciouseliche in her mouþe.

c. 1400.  Apol. Loll., 41. Sum are gostly pore, and sum bodily: sum vertuously, and sum vicously, or synfully; and sum peynfully.

1415.  Hoccleve, Addr. to Sir J. Oldcastle, 130. I putte cas, a prelat or a preest Him viciously gouerne in his lyuynge.

1446.  Lydg., Nightingale Poems, i. 285. Moch peple viciously Were in this age dampnably demeyned.

1509.  Barclay, Shyp of Folys (1570), 57. He was … Viciously liuing in couetise and gyle.

1560.  Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 41 b. They live dissolutely and vitiously at Rome.

1611.  Cotgr., Vicieusement, viciously, lewdly, corruptly, faultily.

1682.  Sir T. Browne, Chr. Mor., I. § 17 (1716), 17. Perversity of Will, immoral and sinfull enormities … pursue us unto Judgment, and leave us viciously miserable.

1780.  Cowper, Progr. Err., 432. By nature weak, or viciously inclin’d.

  b.  In weaker sense: In an improper manner or to an improper extent; reprehensibly. Also spec., illegally (quot. 1880).

1617.  Moryson, Itin., III. 17. Many … are vitiously proud, that their neighbours should see strangers thus visit them. Ibid., 35. The Italian being a great and somewhat viciously curious observer of ceremonious complements.

1620.  Venner, Via Recta (1650), 297. They that against Nature viciously use the night for the day.

1824.  Southey, Sir T. More (1831), II. 200. A practice virtually or rather viciously the same has been imputed to the Venetian aristocracy.

1880.  Muirhead, Gaius, Dig. 512. He eventually prevailed who proved that he was actually in possession … and had not taken it vitiously from his adversary, i.e. either forcibly, stealthily, or by refusal.

  c.  Spitefully, ill-naturedly, savagely; with (or as with) animosity or intent to injure.

1841.  Dickens, Barn. Rudge, ix. ‘I wouldn’t,’ said Miggs viciously, ‘no, not for five-and-forty pound!’

1852.  Mrs. Stowe, Uncle Tom’s C., xxxii. The mill, from which he had viciously driven two or three tired women, who were waiting to grind their corn.

1872.  Routledge’s Ev. Boy’s Ann., 114/2. One of the sharp little telegraphic bells rang viciously.

  2.  Faultily, badly, incorrectly; corruptly.

1635–56.  Cowley, Davideis, III. Note § 8. Which Lucan (methinks) avoids viciously by an excess the other way.

1679.  Dryden, Pref. to Tr. & Cres., Ess. (ed. Ker), I. 226. The thoughts are such as arise from the matter, the expression of ’em not viciously figurative.

1680.  Burnet, Trav. (1686), 266. They have the Gospels in Greek Capitals, but they are vitiously writ in many places.

1706.  Phillips (ed. Kersey), Viciously,… corruptly, falsely, as Viciously writ.

1790.  Burke, Fr. Rev., Wks. V. 91. An assembly … viciously or feebly composed in a very great part of it.