Forms: 3 uigile, 4–6 vigile, 5–6 vygyle; 4–7 vigille (5 vygylle), vigill (6 vygill), 5 vigell, vygell, wygell, 6 Sc. wigel, 5–6 vygyl, 6 vigyl, 6– vigil. [a. AF. and OF. (also mod.F.) vigile, = Sp. and It. vigilia:—L. vigilia watch, watchfulness, wakefulness, f. vigil awake, alert. Cf. VIGILY.]
1. Eccl. The eve of (i.e., preceding) a festival or holy day, as an occasion of devotional watching or religious observance.
a. 1225. Ancr. R., 412. Ȝe schulen eten … eueriche deie twie, bute uridawes and umbridawes and ȝoing dawes, and uigiles.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. X. 232. Eche halyday to huyre hollyche þe seruice, Vigiles and fastyngdayes fortheremore to knowe.
1417. E. E. Wills (1882), 23. Þe date of þis my testament … on Setrysday in þe vygyle of he Holy Trynyte.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), VII. 91. Whiche takynge hym in the vigille of Ester, ȝafe choyce to hym [etc.].
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, XIII. i. 612. The vygyl of Pentecost whan alle the felauship of the round table were comen vnto Camelot.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccxiii. 108 b/1. And ye next mornyng, ye whiche was in the vigill of saynt Symonde and Iude, the Frenche kynge departed out of Calais.
1555. Eden, Decades (Arb.), 73. The thyrde day before the calendes of Aprell: which was that yeare the vigile of the Resurrection of owre Lorde.
1599. Shaks., Hen. VI., IV. iii. 45. He that shall see this day, and liue old age, Will yeerely on the Vigil feast his neighbours, And say, to morrow is Saint Crispian.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., III. xiv. 43. The dayes from henceforward to the death of Jesus we must reckon to be like the Vigils or Eves of his Passion.
1704. Nelson, Fest. & Fasts, ix. (1739), 566. If any of these Feasts fall upon a Monday, then the Vigil or Fast-Day shall be kept upon the Saturday.
1808. Scott, Marmion, I. xxi. Since, on the vigil of St. Bede, In evil hour, he cross’d the Tweed.
1834. K. H. Digby, Mores Cath., V. viii. 233. By the rules of fraternities of workmen, playing cards on the vigil of Christmas subjected offenders to be banished from the society.
1884. Addis & Arnold, Cath. Dict., 843. He even contends that the law of fasting binds on the vigil of the Epiphany.
transf. and fig. a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), Ff iv. The calme seson moste sure, is the vigile of the more vnfortune.
1637. T. Jackson, Wks. (1844), VI. 188. The very time itself … being the vigils of that great anniversary, November 5.
1796. Burke, Regic. Peace, i. (1902), 42. This manifesto … is dated … on the vigil of the festive day of cordial unanimity so happily celebrated by all parties in the British Parliament.
b. A devotional watching, esp. the watch kept on the eve of a festival or holy day; a nocturnal service or devotional exercise. Chiefly in pl.
14[?]. Chaucer’s Prol., 377 (Lansd.). It is ful faire to be cleped ma dame And gone to vigiles al to-fore.
c. 1484. E. E. Misc. (Warton Cl.), 24. When thy concianse wold the have mad chastessed, With wygellus, fastynge or with allmysdede.
1504. C’tess Richmond, trans. De Imitatione, IV. vii. (1893), 269. Wepe and haue sorowe that thou art yet … so slepy to holy vygylys.
1552. Huloet, s.v., Vigill, or saynctes euen beynge fasted, peruigilium.
1591. G. Fletcher, Russe Commonw. (Hakl. Soc.), 138. They have also three vigils or wakes in their great Lent … and the last Friday, their great vigil, as they cal it.
1603. Drayton, Odes, ii. 13. Thy ancient Vigils yeerely, I have observed cleerely.
1649. Jer. Taylor, Gt. Exemp., III. xvi. 54. There are some things … voluntary, such as are … prostration, long prayers, vigils.
a. 1681. Wharton, Fasts & Fest., Wks. (1683), 31. At length the Vigils themselves were inhibited; and these Fasts … instituted in their stead.
1781. Gibbon, Decl. & F., xxvii. (1787), III. 34. As the patience of the multitude might have been exhausted by the length and uniformity of nocturnal vigils.
1836. J. H. Newman, Par. Serm., III. xxi. (ed. 2), 338. These holy days … were commonly ushered in by a Vigil or religious watching.
1840. Macaulay, Ess., Ranke’s Hist., ¶ 22. Thence he wandered back to the farthest West, and astonished … the schools of France by his penances and vigils.
1896. Swete, Ch. Services, 29. The solemnity of the Easter vigil was deepened by a tradition that the Second Coming of the Lord would surprise the world on some Easter Eve.
transf. 1390. Gower, Conf., II. 110. Ek to thee, Diane, I preie,… With al myn herte I wolde serve Be nyhte, and thi vigile observe.
c. In the phr. to keep (a) vigil or vigils. Also transf. (Cf. 4 b.)
1555. W. Watreman, Fardle Facions, II. xii. 296. The night afore euery ordenary holidaie or feastefull daie, the whole clergie, and the people, ware bounde to kiepe Vigill in euery churche.
1616. in Cath. Rec. Soc. Publ., III. 40. They … expose the Blessed Sacrament, institute supplications & keep a vigil throughout the whole night in prayer before the same.
1695. Prior, Ode to King, i. At Mary’s Tomb, (sad, sacred Place!) The Virtues shall their Vigils keep.
1714. Pope, Wife of Bath, 285. Visits to ev’ry Church we daily paid,… The Stations duly, and the Vigils kept. Ibid. (1717), Eloisa, 21. Shrines! where their vigils pale-ey’d virgins keep.
1803. Heber, Palestine, 251. Ye faithful few,… Who round the Saviour’s cross your sorrows shed, Not for his sake your tearful vigils keep.
1820. W. Irving, Sketch Bk., I. 89. The first discoverer of the river and country, kept a kind of vigil there.
1884. Addis & Arnold, Cath. Dict., 843. St. Charles forbade the keeping of any vigil except that before Christmas.
d. pl. Prayers said or sung at a nocturnal service, spec. for the dead.
Sometimes applied to the Office for the Dead: cf. F. vigiles des morts, and med.L. vigiliæ.
1483. Caxton, G. de la Tour, A iv. And she sayd vygylles for the dede men.
1671. Milton, P. R., I. 182. They in Heav’n their Odes and Vigils tun’d.
1679. Hist. Jetzer, 5. If they would yet further sing four Vigils for his Soul.
1834. K. H. Digby, Mores Cath., V. iii. 84. I have seen the sublime Cathedral of Amiens on the night of All-hallows, when the vigils of the dead were sung there.
† 2. A wake. Obs.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, V. 305. Of the fyr and flaumbe funeral … And of the feste and pleyes palestral At my vigile, I pray thee take good hede That al be wel.
1606. Holland, Sueton., 234. Upon the top of the Apennine Hill, hee celebrated a sacrifice, with a Vigil [marg. Or wake] all night long.
† 3. a. One or other of the four watches into which the Romans divided the night. Obs.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., II. 44. Aboute þe fourþe vigile of þe nyȝt cam Crist to hem, walking on þe water.
1533. Bellenden, Livy (S.T.S.), II. 65. At þe fourte vigill he rasit his baner. Ibid. (1536), Cron. Scot. (1821), I. 259. The Romanis … at the third vigill maid thaim reddy to battall.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., s.v., The first Vigil began at six of the clock in the Evening, and continued till nine.
† b. A place from which watch was kept. Obs.
1533. Bellenden, Livy (S.T.S.), I. 284. The romanis … be wilfull eruptiouns fra þare statiouns and vigilis [v.r. wigelis], effrayit þe equis.
† c. Bot. (See quot.) Obs.
1783. Encycl. Brit. (ed. 2), X. 8716/1. Vigils of Plants,… the precise time of the day in which the powers of different plants open, expand, and shut.
1802. R. Hall, Elem. Bot., 196.
4. An occasion or period of keeping awake for some special reason or purpose; a watch kept during the natural time for sleep.
1711. Pope, Temp. Fame, 300.
| Long have we sought t’instruct and please Mankind, | |
| With Studies pale, with Midnight vigils blind. |
1713. Addison, Guardian, No. 120, ¶ 7. There is nothing that wears out a fine Face like the Vigils of the Card-Table, and those cutting Passions which naturally attend them.
1781. Cowper, Retirem., 260.
| Soft airs, nocturnal vigils, and day dreams, | |
| Are all enchantments in a case like thine, | |
| Conspire against thy peace with one design. |
1817. Byron, Manfred, III. iii. 2. He hath pursued long vigils in this tower. Ibid. (1818), Mazeppa, x. The patient search and vigil long Of him who treasures up a wrong.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xxiv. V. 139. His delicate frame worn out by the labours and vigils of many months.
1879. Beerbohm, Patagonia, 23. I confess I should have liked some companion to enliven my weary vigil.
transf. 1817. Byron, Manfred, I. i. 6. In my heart There is a vigil, and these eyes but close To look within.
1843. J. Martineau, Chr. Life (1867), 166. The vigils of eternal Providence.
b. In the phr. to keep a vigil or vigils. (Cf. 1 c.)
c. 1695. Ken, Hymn, ‘All praise to Thee,’ x. O may my Guardian, while I sleep, Close to my bed his vigils keep.
1728. Pope, Dunc., I. 93. While pensive Poets painful vigils keep, Sleepless themselves, to give their readers sleep.
1748. Gray, Alliance, 42. There industry and gain their vigils keep.
1845. Hirst, Com. Mammoth, etc., 98. Lies some quaintly sculptured God, O’er the scene no vigil keeping.
1850. S. Dobell, Roman, i. Poet. Wks. 1875, I. 4. I steal forth to keep my twilight vigil.
1856. Harriett Parr, ‘Hear my prayer, O heavenly Father,’ i. Bid Thy angels … Round my bed their vigil keep.
c. Without article: Watching, watch.
1816. Byron, Siege of Corinth, xiii. While he alone, where thousands pass’d A night of sleep,… In sickly vigil wander’d on.
1853. Kane, Grinnell Exp., xxiv. (1856), 195. Many miles to the south, Captain Back passed a memorable term of vigil and exposure.
1856. Merivale, Hist. Rom. Emp., xli. (1871), V. 96. The abiding sense of moral obligation, which should hold sleepless vigil round the desk of the historian.
1892. C. Taylor, Hermas & Gospels, 35. Hermas and the twelve virgins keep vigil by the tower.
5. A wakefulness, or period of this, due to inability to sleep. Somewhat rare.
1747. Berkeley, Tar-water in Plague, Wks. 1871, III. 481. In the plague are observed … drowsiness, anxiety, vigils, sinking of spirits.
1802. Coleridge, Dejection, viii. ’Tis midnight, but small thoughts have I of sleep: Full seldom may my friend such vigils keep!
1822. Shelley, Fragm. Unfinished Drama, 74. On a wintry bough the widowed bird … Renewed the vigils of a sleepless sorrow.
6. attrib. and Comb., as vigil-keeping, -rage, service, -wasted adj.
1819. Shelley, Peter Bell 3rd, VII. xv. To wakeful frenzy’s vigil-rages, As opintes, were the same [pages] applied.
1846. Keble, Lyra Innoc. (ed. 3), 240. But who is this that comes with mantle rude And vigil-wasted air?
1896. Swete, Ch. Services, 29. Every Saturday night was marked by a vigil service.
1897. R. Kearton, Nature & Camera, 330. It was often one and two o’clock the following morning before the debauchee turned up again, and found his youthful apprentice crying, but resolutely sticking to his post, in spite of wind and rain and the terrible loneliness of his vigil-keeping.
