Forms: α. 4 vencuse, 4–5 venkus (5 wen-), 5, 6 Sc., vencus (5 Sc. wen-), 5 -cows; 4 venkis, 5 -kes(s, wenkys; Sc. 5 vincuse, wyncus, 5–6 vincus(s, 6 uin-, wincus, vincous (wincows), vincuis (win-), vancuis. β. 4–5 venquis (5 -quyse, -quyss, Sc. wenquis); Sc. 6 venqueis, -ques, vinqueis, winques, 6–7 winquis, 6 vanques, -quis(e, wanqueis, -ques, -quis. γ. 5 vencu(s)che, -cusshe, -cuȝsche, quys(c)he, qwysshe, -qwissh, -quissh, -quessh, 5–6 venquysshe, -quisshe; 6 vanquy(s)she, -quyche, -quishe, -quysh, Sc. -quhish, 6– vanquish. δ. 5–6 vaynquysshe (6 vayncq-, veynq-, Sc. waynquysse), -quesshe, -quysh, 6 vainquish, Sc. wainquis. [ad. OF. vencus pa. pple. and venquis pa. t. of veintre (:—L. vincĕre), mod.F. vaincre to conquer, overcome; the ending was finally assimilated to that of verbs from F. stems in -iss-: see -ISH2. The δ-forms, however, are ad. late OF. vainquiss-, vainquir, a rare variant of vaincre. See also VENCUE v.]
1. trans. To overcome or defeat (an opponent or enemy) in conflict or battle; to reduce to subjection or submission by superior force.
α. c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 7396. Ȝe may me vaille To vencuse þem in pleyn bataille.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, I. 554. He wan throw bataill Fraunce all fre; And lucius yber wencusyt he.
a. 1400–50. Alexander, 3122. If he be fallen vndire fote … And vencust of oure violence, quat vailis him his hestis?
c. 1425. Wyntoun, Cron., II. xx. 23. To vincus folk he kennit sa fast That he wes vincust at þe last.
1456. Sir G. Haye, Law Arms (S.T.S.), 48. Thre kingis … he vencust, all halely, and put thame to the flicht.
1533. Bellenden, Livy, II. xvii. (S.T.S.), I. 195. How þe equis and Wolchis war diuidit amang þame self, and vincust be romanis.
c. 1550. Rolland, Crt. Venus, II. 232. Diuers greit Kingis in feild he did vincus.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 301. Malcolme in battell first vancuist, secundly obteynes the victorie.
β. c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. Wace (Rolls), 5188. He auaunted hym … He venquised þe enperour alone.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Monk’s T., 602. For þat Nichamoure and Timothee Wiþ Iewes were venqwiste mihtile.
c. 1400. Laud Troy Bk., 10500. For auȝt that he myȝt do…. Thei were put vnto flyȝt, Wenkyst foule, & discomfiȝt.
c. 1470. Henry, Wallace, III. 241. Quhen Wallace had weyle wenquist … The fals terand that had his fadyr slayne.
1549. Compl. Scotl., Prol. 12. Annibal,… beand venquest be nobil scipion, past for refuge tyl anthiocus.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 339. He vanquisses the King of Norway.
1609. Skene, Reg. Maj., 17. Gif he quha is challenged be overcome and winquised be battel.
γ. 1382. Wyclif, 2 Sam. x. 19 Seynge alle the kyngis … hem to be vencusshid of Yrael.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Man of Law’s T., 194. Thurgh Hanibal, That Romayns hath venquysshed tymes thre.
c. 1430. Lydg., Min. Poems (Percy Soc.), 97. David that sloughe Golye,… That sloughe the bere,… venqwysshed the lyoune.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, lv. 185. Yf he can vanquysshe me, then he shal delyuer to thee thy nece.
1555. Eden, Decades, To Rdr. (Arb.), 51. The Moores or Sarasens and Iewes which … yet coulde neuer before bee cleane vanquysshed vntyll the dayes of this noble and Catholyke prince.
1593. Shaks., 2 Hen. VI., IV. viii. 45. Wer’t not a shame,… The fearfull French, whom you late vanquished, Should make a start ore-seas and vanquish you?
1635. Quarles, Embl., I. ii. [To] baffle hell, And vie with those that stood, and vanquish those that fell.
a. 1727. Newton, Chronol. Amended, i. (1728), 96. David vanquished the Ammonites.
1791. Cowper, Iliad, III. 517. Me, Menelaus, by Minerva’s aid, Hath vanquish’d now, who may hereafter him.
1849–50. Alison, Hist. Europe, VII. xlii. § 21. 105. She, vanquished but not subdued, compelled to yield to necessity, followed her timid consort.
1856. Kane, Arct. Expl., I. xxix. 394. They gnawed her feet and nails so ferociously that we drew her up yelping and vanquished.
δ. 1474. Caxton, Chesse, 37. For by bataylle he shall not be ouercome and vaynquysshid. Ibid. (c. 1489), Sonnes of Aymon, xix. 428. I am vaynquyshed & overcome wythout ony stroke.
1503–4. Act 19 Hen. VII., c. 34. Preamble, They were rencountered, vaynquesshed, dispersed, overcome, and dyvers put to deth.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Huon, xciii. 303. Syr, thanked be god we haue vaynquysshed the Emperoure.
1565. Cooper, Thesaurus, Debellare, to vainquish or ouercome by warre.
b. fig. To overcome by spiritual power.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxviii. (Margaret), 34. Vertuysly scho cane vincuse þe fiesch, þe warld, þe fend alsa.
c. 1380. Wyclif, Contr. Tracts, Sel. Wks. III. 439. Þe fend haþ ben many day abowte to vencushe Cristen mien bi Antecristis clerkis.
c. 1440. Lydg., Hors, Shepe & G., 343. Bi his meknesse he … venquysshid hath Satan.
1483. Caxton, Cato, B ij b. Saynt Johan sayth in the pocalyps who shal vanquysshe the world.
c. 1510. More, Picus, Wks. 22. He it is, by whose mighty powre, The worlde was vainquished and his prince cast out.
1560. Rolland, Seven Sages, 44. Than speikis he to God face to face, Quhen that the Deuill he hes vincust.
1581. Burne in Cath. Tract. (S.T.S.), 118. [That] the craft … of the Deuil is vinqueist and ouercum.
1671. Milton, P. R., I. 175. The Son of God Now entring his great duel,…to vanquish by wisdom hellish wiles.
† c. To expel or banish from a place. Obs.
1536. Pilgrym’s T., in Thynne’s Animadv. (1875), 79. Wher this man walked, ther was no farey ner other spiritis, for his blessynges … did vanquyche them from euery buch and tre.
1601. Dolman, La Primaud. Fr. Acad. (1618), 374. Conspiring the reentrie of Tarquinius race unto the Kingdome of Rome, from whence they had been vanquished for wickednes and whoredome.
2. To overcome (a person) by other than physical means. Also const. of (= in respect of).
c. 1366. Chaucer, A. B. C., 8. Mercyable Quene,… Hafe mercy of my Perilous langoure, Venquist has me my cruelle aduersair. Ibid. (c. 1386), Pars. T., 661. Therfore saith the wise man, if thou wolt venquisch thin enemy lerne to suffre.
1477. Caxton, Dictes, 121. He that demaundethe but reason is able to vaynquysshe & ouercome his ennemye.
a. 1500. Bernardus de cura rei fam. (E.E.T.S.), 122. For he is nocht ay wencuste with þe sworde, But oft throw lufe.
c. 1530. Pol., Rel., & L. Poems (1903), 58. Ofte the enmy is easelyer venquysied with seruice than with stroke of swerde.
c. 1550. Rolland, Crt. Venus, III. 45. Hippolyte and eik Pandora sle That with hir slicht[i]s al men dois vincous.
1671. Milton, Samson, 235. I my self, Who vanquisht with a peal of words … Gave up my fort of silence to a Woman.
1725. W. Hamilton, To C’tess Eglinton, 22. The Fair One,… Cur’d of her scorn, and vanquish’d of her hate.
1770. Goldsm., Des. Vill., 212. In arguing too, the parson own’d his skill, For e’en though vanquish’d, he could argue still.
1848. W. H. Kelly, trans. L. Blanc’s Hist. Ten Y., II. 295. At last, M. Gerard has got the upper hand; he has vanquished his colleagues, he has vanquished the king.
† b. To convict of some offence. Obs.–1
1502. Ord. Crysten Men (W. de W., 1506), IV. xxi. X iiij. Whan it is so that he of that was lawfully vaynquysshed or that he hath that confessed in Iugement.
3. With impersonal object: To overcome, subdue, suppress, or put an end to (a feeling, state of things, etc.).
c. 1380. Wyclif, Wks. (1880), 435. For treuþe mut vencusche al oþer þing.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Frankl. T., 46. Pacience … venquysseth … thynges þat rigour sholde neuere atteyne.
c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 3546. We se ofte that humilite, Bothe ire, and also felonye Venquyssheth.
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. 3284. Thenfeccioun of hir troubled eyr He hath venquesched.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, 69. And yf thou canst not vaynquysshe thyn yre than muste thyn yre ouercome the.
1513. Douglas, Æneid, I. xi. 64. The flambe of torchis vincoust the dirk nycht.
1567. Gude & Godlie B. (S.T.S.), 122. O God, sa gude and gracious, Lat thair. Jugeing vencust be.
a. 1601. ? Marston, Pasquil & Kath. (1878), II. 154. Euen then my loue shall not be vanquished.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. I. i. (1651), 37. If the cause be removed, the effect is likewise vanquished.
1671. Milton, P. R., IV. 607. By vanquishing Temptation, [thou] hast regain’d lost Paradise.
1781. Cowper, Expost., 411. To vanquish lust, and wear its yoke no more.
1819. Shelley, Cenci, I. iii. 110. Till it thus vanquish shame and fear.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Fr. Wines & Pol., viii. 130. Charles repeatedly vanquished his resentment at the Marquis’ supercilious treatment of him.
† b. To excel or surpass. Obs.–1
1533. Bellenden, Livy, I. Prol. (S.T.S.), I. 7. New authouris … be þare crafty eloquence traistis to vincus the rude langage of anciant authouris.
† 4. To win or gain (a battle or other contest).
a. 1400. Sir Degrev., 1126. Sone that douȝty undur sheld Had y-venkessyd the feld.
c. 1450. Merlin, iii. 56. Vter venquysshed the bataile, and ther ne ascaped noon of the sarazins.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 111/3. Thus as he demanded he vanquysshid the batayll.
a. 1548. Hall, Chron., Edw. IV. (1550), 42. A gentlemanne … did demaunde of an Englisheman, how many battailes kyng Edward had vanquished.
5. absol. To be victorious; to have the victory.
1382. Wyclif, 1 Sam. xiv. 47. And whidir euer he turnede hym silf, he venkusede.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg. (1892), 846. He threwe away his swerde, and judged himself better to vaynquysshe in suffering of deth.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 756. He shall no lesse commend his wisdome where he voyded, then his manhood where he vanquished.
1596. Dalrymple, trans. Leslie’s Hist. Scot., I. 349. He … sa stoutlie straik and vanquist, that a noble Victorie he obteynet.
1651. Raleigh’s Ghost, 213. When he suffered his hands to fall down, Amalek vanquished.
