a. Obs. exc. arch. Forms: 6 facynerous, 6–7 fascinorous, 7 faciner(i)ous, 6– facinorous. [ad. L. facinorōs-us, f. facinor-, also faciner-, facinus a deed, esp. a bad deed, f. facĕre to do; see -OUS. Cf. OF. facinereux, facinoreux.] Extremely wicked, grossly criminal, atrocious, infamous, vile. Said both of persons and their actions. Very common in 17th c.
1548. Hall, Chron. (1809), 381. The people havyng in their freshe memorie the facinorous acte of there kynge.
1592. in Strype, Ann. Ref., IV. App. lxii. 95. Others they have cast into … Newgate … among the most facinorous and vile persons.
1627–77. Feltham, Resolves, II. lxxvi. 323. In regard of the influence of Christian Religion, which corrects the cogitation and intention of all, as well as the outward act; I believe it hath so wrought upon the general Genius of the world, as it is not so audaciously and epedemically facinorous, as it was in times of Paganism, who were taught by their gods to be loose and less than men.
1656. Artif. Handsom., 131. Things highly charged with sin, even to a more facinorous and notorious degree.
1679. Bedloe, Narrative and impartial discovery of the horrid Popish Plot, Epistle, A b. Notwithstanding all their facinorous Performances.
1721. Cibber, Perolla and Izadora, I. Wks. 1727, IV. 314.
| Pac. ’Tis False! Nor is there in the horrid Scroll | |
| Of Deeds facinorous a Crime. |
1871. R. Ellis, Catullus, lxiii. 24.
| ’Tis said, that father ascended, | |
| Vilely; with act impure stain’d the facinorous house. |
Hence † Facinorously adv., Facinorousness.
1692. trans. Sallust, 154. Thus, by how much every one acted most facinorously, so much the more secure he thought himself.
1727–36. Bailey, Facinorousness, Villainy, Wickedness.
1822. Mrs. E. Nathan, Langreath, II. 267. I am sorry that all your airbuilt schemes are demolished by the facinorousness of your lover.
1841. Borrow, Zincali, I. x. 183–4. The emperor Constantine the Great, and other emperors who founded the civil law, condemned to death those who should practise such facinorousness.
