- Villainy
- Villainy Vil"lain*y, n.; pl. {Villainies}. [OE. vilanie, OF.
vilanie, vilainie, vileinie, vilanie, LL. villania. See
{Villain}, n.] [Written also {villany}.]
1. The quality or state of being a villain, or villainous;
extreme depravity; atrocious wickedness; as, the villainy
of the seducer. ``Lucre of vilanye.'' --Chaucer.
[1913 Webster]
The commendation is not in his wit, but in his villainy. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
2. Abusive, reproachful language; discourteous speech; foul talk. [Archaic] [1913 Webster]
He never yet not vileinye ne said In all his life, unto no manner wight. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]
In our modern language, it [foul language] is termed villainy, as being proper for rustic boors, or men of coarsest education and employment. --Barrow. [1913 Webster]
Villainy till a very late day expressed words foul and disgraceful to the utterer much oftener than deeds. --Trench. [1913 Webster]
3. The act of a villain; a deed of deep depravity; a crime. [1913 Webster]
Such villainies roused Horace into wrath. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
That execrable sum of all villainies commonly called a slave trade. --John Wesley. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
