sb. Forms: α. 3–4 vileinie (3 uil-), 4 vileynye, vyleyny(e, vileyne; 4 vylaynye, vilaynie, 5 vilainy. β. 4 vilani(ie, wilani(e, 6 vilanie, 4–5 vylanye (6 -ie), 4–6 vylany, vilany(e; 4 velani(e, -ije, 4–5 velanye, 4–6 -any (5 -ane), 6 welany; 5 villane, wyllanye, Sc. willany, 6 vyllany, 6–7 villanie, 6–9 villany (7 -ey). γ. 4 vilenie, -ye, vylenye (fyl-), 4–5 vi-, vyleny, 5 vylney, Sc. vilne; 5 veleni, -eny; 6 villeny(e, 6–7 -enie. δ. 4–5 vilonie, -ony(e, 4–6 vylonye, 5 -ony; veloni, velonye, welonye; villonye. ε. 7 villainie, 7– villainy. [a. AF. vile(i)nie, vilainye, vilanie, OF. vileinnie, villenie, vilanie, vilonie, vilenie (so mod.F.), etc., = Pr. vilania, -onia, Sp., Pg. and It. villania, whence also med.L. villania: see VILLAIN sb. and -Y.
The present spelling was rare before the 18th c. and did not become established until the 19th, when it gradually displaced the more prevalent villany.]
1. Action or conduct befitting, characteristic or typical of, a villain; evil or wrongdoing of a foul, infamous or shameful nature; extreme wickedness on the part of a person in dealing with others.
α. a. 1225. Ancr. R., 216. Lechurs, þet habbeð so uorloren scheome þet ham nis nowiht of scheome, auh secheð hwu heo muwen mest uileinie wurchen.
1297. R. Glouc. (Rolls), 1329. Vor it is ech prince iwis & king vileinie To defouli is kniȝtes þoru wam he aþ þe maistrie.
1340. Ayenb., 18. He is wel vileyn and ontrewe auoreye his lhord,… and yelt him kuead uor guod, and vileynye uor corteysye.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 863. Dos away your derf dyn & derez neuer my gestes, Avoy! hit is your vylaynye, ȝe vylen your seluen.
β. a. 1300. Cursor M., 2422. Bot godd hir [kept] þat was hir wit … þat moght naman o licherie Hir body neght wit wilanie.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., C. 71. For iwysse hit arn so wykke þat in þat won dowellez, & her malys is so much I may not abide, Bot venge me on hir vilanye & venym bilyue.
1396–7. in Eng. Hist. Rev. (1907), XXII. 297. We knowe wel þat euery lesyng opinli prechid turnith him to velanye þat euere was trewe and with oute defaute.
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., II. 981. Tenelayus … mad hym cortasse welcummynge…. Bot he did willany þar agayn: Þis Tenelayus he walde har slayn.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), E vij b. The greateste vyllany in a villayne is to be gyuen in largesse of lyes.
1538. Elyot, Obscœnitas, villany in actes; rybauldrie.
1595. Shaks., John, III. i. 116. Thou little valiant, great in villanie, Thou euer strong vpon the stronger side.
1616. R. C., Times’ Whistle (1871), 55. From thirst of wealth & golden villany I now am come to brutish gluttonie.
1679. Hatton, Corr. (Camden), 199. He hath been twice pillor’d, and committed all manner of villaney.
a. 1716. Blackall, Wks. (1723), I. 95. He will hardly ever be able to carry his Matters so cunningly, but that his Villany will at last be discover’d.
1771. Junius Lett., liv. (1788), 300. This may be logic at Cambridge,… but among men of sense and honour, it is folly or villany in the extreme.
1841. G. P. R. James, Brigand, iii. 41. There is some mistake here, and I think some villany.
1855. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., xii. III. 217. He had been induced, by the villany of Tyrconnel, to trust himself at Saint Germains.
personif. a. 1366[?]. Chaucer, Rom. Rose, 166. Another image, that Vilanye Y-cleped was, saugh I…. Vilanye was lyk somdel That other image [sc. Felony]; and … She semed a wikked creature.
transf. and fig. 1611. Shaks., Cymb., V. ii. 13. Nothing rowts vs, but The villany of oure feares.
1638. Sir T. Herbert, Trav. (ed. 2), 349. Ignorant of the deceits of men, and unused to the villany of powder.
γ. c. 1315. Shoreham, III. 328. Ac ys [deadly sin] þat uoule wyl al so To swyche fylenye.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. VII. 433. Ich can nouht speke for shame The vylenye of my foule mouþe and of my foule mawe.
a. 1425. Cursor M., 4405 (Trin.). Here may men se þe vileny þat he souȝte on his lady.
a. 1450. Knt. de la Tour (1868), 36. He and y hadd gret communicacion diuerse tymes, but it was neuer in no ueleni, nor in no euell thought nor in dede.
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, II. (Arb.), 61. In father his presence with spightful villenye cancred, Thee soon that murthrest, my sight with boucherye stayning.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., VI. vii. 23. The gentle knight Would not be tempted to such villenie.
δ. c. 1380. Wyclif, Tracts, Wks. (1880), 204. To be aschamyd of eche euyl speche, & namely of lecherie & euyl contenaunce of synne & ribaudrie & vilonye.
c. 1430. How the Good Wife, in Babees Book (1868), 38. Kepe þee from synne, fro vilonye, & fro blame.
1485. Caxton, Chas. Gt., 44. Who wold haue thought that I shold haue had vylonye of Rolland?
ε. 1605. 1st Pt. Jeronimo, II. iii. 49. O, that villainy should be found in the great Chamber.
1722. Wollaston, Relig. Nat., vi. 133. He may … endeavour to recover what has been by any kind of violence or villainy taken from him.
1772. Pennant, Tours Scot. (1774), 10. Murdered by assassins who crossed the moat to perpetrate their villainy.
1819. Shelley, Cenci, I. iii. 175. Manhood’s purpose stern, And age’s firm, cold, subtle villainy.
1843. Bethune, Scott. Peasant’s Fire-side, 107. Jenny and his other friends declaimed loudly upon the villainy of Mr. M‘Quiddit, in keeping him so long from his own.
1861. Gen. P. Thompson, Audi Alt., cxlvi. III. 133. The same kind of villainy was meditated in China.
b. With a and pl., this, that, etc. An instance or case of this; a piece of wicked conduct or dealing; a vile act or deed.
13[?]. Gaw. & Gr. Knt., 634. Gawan was for gode knawen, & as golde pured, Voyded of vche vylany, wyth vertuez ennourned in mote.
1377. Langl., P. Pl., B. XVIII. 94. For þis foule vyleynye veniaunce to ȝow alle.
1390. Gower, Conf., II. 133. Him thenkth it were a vilenie, Bot he rewarde him for his dede.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 6912. Vlixes … To venge of þat vilany vili dissirit.
1483. Cath. Angl., 400/1. A velany, dedicus.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 755. Requiryng them therefore to studie how to reuenge and punishe so great a villanie.
1592. Kyd, Sp. Trag., III. viii. 12. Bought you a whistle and a whipstalke too, To be reuenged on their villanies?
c. 1618. Moryson, Itin., IV. (1903), 482. Though indeede they take it rather for a grace to be reputed actiue in any Villany, espetially Cruelty and theft.
1677. Gilpin, Demonol., II. i. 187. Other Errours there are, that lead to beastly and unnatural Villanies.
1691. Hartcliffe, Virtues, 53. Under pretence thereof Wars might be raised, Robberies and all manner of Villanies committed.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 42. If they are honest men and would not appear in this villany.
1742. Fielding, J. Andrews, I. x[i]v. The greatest villanies are daily practised to please thee.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., vi. II. 152. He was determined to keep his place, if it could be kept by any villany but one.
1860. Gen. P. Thompson, Audi Alt., cxxviii. III. 86. But such is what the poor have to expect, when they assist in the villainies of the rich.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq., I. 411. Æthelred, if he had not ordered this villany, at any rate made himself an accessory after the fact.
† 2. Treatment of a degrading or shameful nature as suffered or received by a person; ill-usage, injury, indignity, insult. Obs.
Not always clearly distinct from sense 3.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 17150. Befor mi moder eien … Sufferd i al þis wilani [v.r. velani].
13[?]. K. Alis., 2500 (Laud MS.). Þer dude Alisaunder curteisie; He kepte hem from vche vilenye, Darries moder, & darries wijf.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, i. (Peter), 548. He … mad gret playnt of þe schame, of þe vilne, and of þe blame, þat lytil befor tholit he.
c. 1440. York Myst., xxii. 70. And gladly suffir I for thy sake swilk velany.
1567. Trial Treas., C iij b. Ye, ye they haue vsed me with to much vilanie.
1586. J. Hooker, Hist. Irel., in Holinshed, II. 82/2. Kildare pursuing Ormond to the chapiter house doore, vndertooke on his honor that he should receiue no villanie.
1590. Greene, Royal Exch., Wks. (Grosart), VII. 263. To see villanie offered him, and to holde his peace.
† b. In the phr. to put (a person) to villainy.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge, II. 207. Wyddowes and wyues were put to vilany, Maydens were corrupt and slayne chamfully.
1548. Udall, etc., Erasm. Par. Mark ix. 62. Syth menne shoulde se hym [sc. Jesus] sone after putte to so muche shame and villany.
1565. Cooper, Thesaurus, Conculco,… to treade vnder foote: to put to extreme vilanie.
† c. ? A punishment of a degrading or ignominious nature. Obs.–1
a. 1400–50. Bk. Curtasye, 56, in Babees Bk. Yf þou make mawes on any wyse, A velany þou kacches or euer þou rise.
† 3. Disgrace, dishonor; ignominy; discredit. Obs. (freq. c. 1400–c. 1500).
c. 1375. Cursor M., 803 (Fairf.). Þai clad ham þan for velane wiþ brade leues of fyge tree.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, IX. 545. Schir Amery … Raid till Yngland, and purchast ther Of armyt men gret cumpany, To venge hym of the velany.
c. 1420. Chron. Vilod., 2384. Y þe mekely prey … to correcty hit so þat y naue no vyleny þere-by.
1436. Hen. VI., in Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., Var. Coll. IV. 199. To caste this land oute of all reputacion into perpetual reprofe, vylonye and shame thorwgh the wordil.
a. 1470. Harding, Chron., VII. clxxxi. The kyng Edwarde had all the victorye, The kyng Philyp had all the vilanye.
c. 1530. Ld. Berners, Arth. Lyt. Bryt. (1814), 23. Dame Luke … knew wel yt her doughter Perron was no mayde, therfore she doubted greatly to haue vylonye. Ibid. (a. 1533), Huon, viii. 20. It shalbe greatly to your veleny and reproche yf I be thus slayne by you.
1565. Jewell, Reply Harding (1611), 371. They thought great villanie in that kind of Death.
1594. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., II. 327. For this cause there is in Shame not onely a feare of villanie, but indignation also, after the committing of some fault.
† b. Used predicatively: A fact or circumstance bringing disgrace or discredit to a person. Also without const. Obs.
c. 1340. Hampole, Prose Tr., 27. It es a velany a man for to be curyously arrayede apone his heuede … and all his body be nakede and bare as it ware a beggere.
a. 1366[?]. Chaucer, Rom. Rose, 1231. But she hym holpe his harme to aswage; Hir thought it elles a vylanye.
a. 1400. Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS., 533/173. Ȝif þat þou chyde þi soget, Hit is to þe vileynye gret.
1467. Paston Lett., II. 308. If I wer ther withought I had the mor sadder or wurchepfull persones abought me,… it shuld be to me but a vylney.
1470–85. Malory, Arthur, III. viii. 108. Ye haue doone a passynge fowle dede in the sleyinge of the lady, the whiche will be grete vylany vnto yow.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, lv. 185. It shal be to you grete velany [ed. 1601 dishonour].
† c. A person or thing that is the source of discredit or disgrace. Obs. rare.
1382. Wyclif, Ecclus. xxiii. 31. He shal ben vileny to alle; forthi that he vnderstod not the drede of the Lord.
1549. Coverdale, etc., Erasm. Par. Galat. 21. The Gentiles … coumpte his crosse for a vilanie and reproche.
† 4. To do villainy or a villainy, esp. to (a person), in prec. senses. Obs.
α. 1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 6516. The syxte synne ys glotonye; þat ys a shameful vyleynye þat men doun of mete and drynk.
a. 1330. Otuel, 358. King charles … was hende & good, & nolde for hise wordes heȝe Don otuel no vileinie.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Sel. Wks., III. 287. Þei … don hym more dispite and vileyne þan diden Judas Scarioth and Jewis.
a. 1425. Cursor M., 20340 (Trin.). Þerfore þeron haue þou þi þouȝt … Þat þei me do no vilayne.
β. a. 1300. Cursor M., 16306. Pilate said and badd þai ne suld do him [sc. Jesus] na vilani.
c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 1823, Lucrece. Whi hast thow don this lady vilanye?
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 106. By helpe of þe fende, he made hym lyke an angyll, and come to dyuers maydyns,… and soo lay by hom, and dude hom gret vylany.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., ciii. 52 b. The kyng Osbright me hath done shame & vilanye ayens my wyll.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 254. [They] spared not to do all the vylany & shame to the sone of god that they coude deuyse.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., II. i. 130. Pay her the debt you owe her, and vnpay the villany you haue done her.
a. 1683. Sidney, Disc. Govt., I. i. (1704), 8. A third sort of Men who would neither do Villanys, nor suffer more than the Laws did permit.
γ. c. 1385. Chaucer, L. G. W., 2333, Philomene. This false thef Hath don this lady ȝit a more myschef For fere lyst she shulde his shame crye And don hym opynly a vilenye.
1422. Yonge, trans. Secreta Secret., 136. In that he dothe to god ouer-grete veleny.
δ. c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 2254. He wende wiþ is ferete [to] haue do þe vylonye.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), III. 389. Atthalus hadde despitousliche i-scorned þis Pausania, and i-doo hym grete vilonye.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., I. xvii. 100. Ther in thei doon foul vilonie to Cristis lawe of feith.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, II. i. (1883), 20. Thanswer of a noble & debonair prynce That suffred that villonye don to his doughter.
† 5. To say or speak (a, no, etc.) villainy, to speak evil, to use wicked, low, obscene or opprobrious language. Also, to speak villainy of, to defame or throw discredit on (a person). Obs.
After OF. dire vilonie (Du Cange, s.v. Villania).
(a) a. 1300. Cursor M., 7832. For qua lais hand in feloni O king, or sais him vilani,… wit-vien grith, He dei.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 1549. A nunne … Þat ȝede to helle for no þyng ellys But for she spake euer vyleyny.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 70. He neuere yet no vileynye ne sayde In al his lyf vn to no maner wight.
1419. in S. Bentley, Excerpta Historica (1831), 38. That no man saye no vilony to non other, through the whiche vilony saynge, may falle sodenly man slaughter, or risinge of people.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, II. i. (1883), 20. This prince had also a frende that … sayd on a tyme as moche villonye unto the prynce as ony man miht saye. Ibid. (1483), Gold. Leg., 424/1. She … said many Iniuryes & vylonyes to fyacre contumeleyng & blasphemyng hym.
1611. Bible, Isaiah, xxxii. 6. The vile person wil speake villenie, and his heart will worke iniquitie.
(b) 1470–85. Malory, Arthur, XX. xix. 832. Alle the world wylle speke of yow vylony.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 285. Do not a thing that should blemishe your renowne, neither geue occasion for any to speake vilanie of you.
1581. A. Hall, Iliad, V. 83. Al men of vs great villany would say.
† b. So words of villainy. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 28531. I ha bene wont thoru lucheri Wordes to spek of vilany.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 22. If … he be a talkere of ydil wordes of vanite or of vilonye.
1568. Bk. Nurture, To Parents, Take heede they speake no wordes of vilany.
† 6. Lack of courtesy or politeness; discourtesy, incivility, rudeness; boorishness, rusticity. Obs.
c. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 1528. For þat somtyme men held velany Now yhung men haldes curtasy; And þat som tyme was curtasy cald, Now wille yhong men velany hald.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Prol., 740. Crist spak hym self ful brode in hooly writ, And wel ye woot no vileynye is it.
14[?]. Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 590. Inurbanitas, vylonye.
c. 1480. in Hazl., E. P. P., I. 45. Syr erle, he seyd, take and begyn; He seyd: nay, be seynt Austyn, That was to me vylony.
c. 1481. Caxton, Dialogues, 29. For I reffuse not The cuppe; That were vylonye [F. villonie].
a. 1677. Barrow, Serm. Titus iii. 2, Wks. (1687), I. 239. This practice [of railing and reviling] doth plainly signifie … ill breeding and bad manners…. In our modern languages it is termed Villany, as being proper for rustick Boors.
1694. Dryden, Love Triumph., I. i. But this large courtesy, this overpraise You give his worth, in any other mouth Were villainy to me.
† 7. The condition or state of a villein; bondage, servitude; hence, base or ignoble condition of life; moral degradation. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pars. T., ¶ 9. Certes wel aughte a man haue disdeyne of synne, and wiþdrawe him fro þat þraldom and vilenye.
1540. Coverdale, Fruitful Less., i. Wks. (Parker Soc.), I. 300. Jesus … took upon himself the most extreme shame … to deliver us from eternal villany.
1543. T. Becon, New Catech., Wks. 1560, I. 415 b. These, these goo about to bring vs vnto vilany.
† b. Low or wretched condition. Obs.
1570. Jewel, View Seditious Bull (1582), 47. Haue not they spoiled & wasted those two noble Cuntries & brought them to such vilanie & miserie, as they neuer felt before?
† 8. Imperfection, defect or injury in things. Obs.–1
c. 1400. Pilgr. Sowle (Caxton), II. lviii. (1859), 56. The bones stoden vp, as men, in the same persones, ryght as they were byfore, withouten ony spot or vylonye.
9. Base, villainous or wicked quality.
1702. Addison, Dial. Medals, ii. (1726), 101. Ingratitude … can arise from nothing but a natural baseness and villany of soul.
Hence † Villainy (in 5 vylonye) v. trans., = VILLAIN v. 1. Obs.–1
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 113/3. For as moche as they haue dyspyted and vylonyed the blood of Jhesu.
