Obs. exc. arch. or dial. Also 6–7 vylde, 6–7 (9) vilde; 6 Sc. vyild, 6–7 (9) vyld, 7 vil’d. [Variant of VILE a., with excrescent -d. The earliest instances are Scottish (cf. tylde for TILE sb.1), but the form is extremely common from c. 1580 to 1650.] = VILE a., in various senses: a. Of actions, things, etc.
1560. Rolland, Seven Sages, 48. The morne he sall go to the deid maist vylde, Howbeit he be my onlie gottin Chylde.
1568. T. Howell, Arb. Amitie (1879), 35. Shall I be prest in simpler sort and vylder case then hee.
1597. J. Payne, Royal Exch., 24. Since whose vilde death manie a good Christian have bene no less vmbraded and reproched.
1598–9. E. Forde, Parismus, I. (1661), 49. With great patience he endured the imprisonment, continuing in that most vilde place.
a. 1613. Overbury, A Wife, etc. (1638), 38. Her breath should be as horrible and vild, As ev’rie word you speake is sweet and mild.
1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet., 158. A vild thing, thus to force and wrong Nature.
1713. Croxall, Orig. Canto Spenser, xiv. (1714), 14. With Witchcraft vild he then enwrapt her round.
1748. Thomson, Cast. Indol., II. xxvi. O hide thy head, abominable war!… From Heaven this life ysprung, from hell thy glories vild!
1767. Mickle, Concub., I. xx. Loud and angrie then Gan she of shame and haviour vild complain.
1805. Scott, Last Minstrel, III. xiii. Could he have had his pleasure vilde, He had crippled the joints of the noble child.
1853. N. & Q., 1st Ser. VII. 234/1 (N. Cy. sayings), Looks as vild (worthless) as a pair of Yorkshire sleeves in a goldsmith’s shop.
1866. Edmondston, Gloss. Shetland, Vyld, dirty, filthy, vile.
b. Of persons.
1567. Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.), 122. Quhen I was impotent, Fragile, vaine, vylde, and pure.
1581. Rich, Farew. (1846), 116. The desolate damsell … ceased not to rebuke the vilde caitive.
1588. Babington, Prof. Exp. Lord’s Pr. (1596), 235. The good Prophet had a bad seruant, a vilde Gehezi.
1608. Tarlton, Cobler Canterb. (1844), 118. Vilde strumpet as thou art.
1628. Gaule, Pract. The. (1629), 11. Lo how the vildest Earth-Worme now turnes against thee!
1656. Heylin, Surv. France, 324. That vilde Butcher [Herod] caus’d to cut in sunder Euery Male childe of two years old and under.
1767. Mickle, Concub., I. xxii. She … clept her Lemman and vild Slutt aloud.
1865. Gidley, Aletes, 145. Their influence mild Withdraw from presence of those monsters base and vild, Intolerance and Injustice.
absol. 1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., III. i. 15. O thou dull God, why lyest thou with the vilde, In loathsome Beds? Ibid. (1607), Timon, I. i. 15. When we for recompence haue prais’d the vild.
