Forms: α. 4 vyleyn, 6 villein(e; 4 vilaine, 4–5 vylayn (5 vil-), 5–6 vylayne; 5 vyllayn, 6 -ayne, -aine, 5–7 villayne (7 -ayn), 6–7 villaine, 7– villain. β. 4 velaun, 6 vyl-, vilane (Sc. veill-, vill-, willane), villan, wellantt-, 7 villiane, 7–8 villian, 8 villin. [a. AF. and OF. vilein, vilain, villain (= Prov. vilan, It. and Sp. villano, Pg. villão):—pop.L: *villān-um, acc. sing. of *villānus (see VILLAINS a.), f. L. villa VILLA. See also VILLEIN.]
1. Originally, a low-born base-minded rustic; a man of ignoble ideas or instincts; in later use, an unprincipled or depraved scoundrel; a man naturally disposed to base or criminal actions, or deeply involved in the commission of disgraceful crimes: a. Used as a term of opprobrious address.
1303. R. Brunne, Handl. Synne, 11557. Goddys treytour, and ryȝt vyleyn! Hast þou no mynde of Marye Maudeleyn.
1320–30. Horn Ch. (Ritson), 857. The begger answered in that tide, Vilaine, cunestow nought ride?
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 5471. Þanne he cryde and gan to sayn: ‘Whar art þow, Charlis, þow vylayn?’
1501. Douglas, Pal. Hon., I. lvii. Ane me fand, quhilk said, and greit disdenȝeit, ‘Auant veillane, thow reclus imperfite.’
c. 1590. Marlowe, Faustus, vi. Villaine haue I not bound thee to tel me any thing?
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., I. ii. 20. Now knocke when I bid you: sirrah villaine.
1622. Massinger & Dekker, Virg. Martyr, IV. iii. Theoph. It matters not, We can discharge this work without his help…. Sap. Villain!
1663. Cowley, Cutter Coleman-St., V. xii. Villain, Rebel, Traitor, out o’ my sight.
1764. H. Walpole, Otranto, i. Presumptuous villain! cried Manfred, dost thou provoke my wrath?
1821. Scott, Kenilw., xli. Drunken villain,… thy idleness and debauched folly will stretch a halter ere it be long.
1855. Kingsley, Westw. Ho! v. ‘Villain! give me your papers!’ cried Amyas.
b. In descriptive use. (Common from c. 1590.)
α. c. 1400. Rom. Rose, 2183. Thise vilayns arn withouten pitee, Frendship, love, and alle bounté. I nyl resseyve unto my servise Hem that ben vilayns of emprise.
1474. Caxton, Chesse, III. iii. (1883), 99. They … answerd to hym that he was a vylayne to requyre & desire of them thynge that was so peryllous. Ibid. (1483), G. de la Tour, h vij. For he is a chorle and a vylayne that of his mouthe sayth ony vylony.
1509. Barclay, Shyp of Folys (1874), II. 182. In all the world nought vyler can I fynde Nor wors, than is a fals unkynde vylayne.
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.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., V. i. 29. Thou art a Villaine to impeach me thus, Ile proue mine honor, and mine honestie Against thee presently, if thou dar’st stand.
1624. Capt. Smith, Virginia, III. 84. The two most exact villaines in all the Country.
1719. De Foe, Crusoe, I. (Globe), 260. He told me there were two desperate Villains among them, that it was scarce safe to shew any Mercy to.
1769. Junius Lett., xv. (1788), 89. Every villain fancies himself a man of abilities.
1813. Byron, Corsair, I. xi. He knew himself a villain—but he deem’d The rest no better than the thing he seem’d.
a. 1842. Arnold, Hist. Later Rom. Commw. (1845), II. 56. The soldiers … told him that … if he played the villain he might win the throne.
1869. Ruskin, Q. of Air, § 128. They are not made villains by the commission of a crime, but were villains before they committed it.
transf. 1691. Hartcliffe, Virtues, 241. Thus they slander Human Nature, and make a Villain of it.
β. 1535. Coverdale, Job xxx. 8. They were the children of fooles & vylanes, which are deed awaye from the worlde.
1570. Satir. Poems Reform. (S.T.S.), xiii. 95. Wa worth ȝow Uillanis that slew that Prince maist wise.
1573. Nottingham Rec., IV. 154. For be-callyng the Constabelles knaves and wellanttes.
1593. Harvey, Pierce’s Super., Wks. (Grosart), II. 319. The Straunge Newes of the railing Villan.
1598. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum. (Q.1), V. Gui. I obey thee varlet; but for these villianes—. Mus. Keepe the peace I charge you sir.
1678. Bunyan, Pilgr., I. 132. He hath not been afraid to rail on you, my Lord,… calling you an ungodly Villian.
1704. Blair, in W. S. Perry, Hist. Coll. Amer. Col. Ch., I. 132. Several of them of the most noted good preachers he affronted and abused with the most opprobrious & villifying names as Dog, Rogue, Rascal, Villin, Jesuit.
1727. Philip Quarll (1816), 66. Those villians had most sacrilegiously rifled and ransacked his habitation.
c. Used playfully, or without serious imputation of bad qualities. Also applied to a woman.
1590. Shaks., Com. Err., I. ii. 19. A trustie villaine sir, that very oft … Lightens my humour with his merry iests. Ibid. (1601), Twel. N., II. v. 16. Enter Maria.… Heere comes the little villaine: How now my Mettle of India? Ibid. (1606), Tr. & Cr., II. ii. 35. Ile fetch her; it is the prettiest villaine.
1815. Scott, Guy M., i. Jock, ye villain,… are ye lying routing there, and a young gentleman seeking the way to the Place?
1837. Dickens, Pickw., ix. ‘Where’s that villain Joe?’ ‘Here I am; but I han’t a willin,’ replied a voice. It was the fat boy’s.
1908. R. Bagot, A. Cuthbert, xxiii. 300. If this afternoon’s post does not bring me a letter from Jim,… I shall telegraph to the young villain.
d. (Usually with the.) That character in a play, novel, etc., whose evil motives or actions form an important element in the plot. Also transf.
1822. Lamb, Elia, I. Old Actors. The fact is, you do not believe in such characters as Surface—the villain of artificial comedy—even while you read or see them.
1867. Freeman, Norm. Conq., I. iv. 252. Arnulf, as usual, appears as the villain of the piece.
1879. D. Cook, Nts. at the Play (1883), II. 222. Mr. Vezin represented the villain, a welcher, pretending to be a Russian count.
† 2. A bird (esp. a hawk) of a common or inferior species. Obs.
1480. Caxton, Myrr., II. viii. 85. Ther ben popengayes … of whom, as men saye, they that haue on eche foot fyue clawes ben gentyl, and the vylayns haue but thre.
1575. Turberv., Faulconrie, 123. Of all kinde of hawkes…, as Sacres, Gerfalcons, peregrine Falcons, and Vilanes. Ibid., 124. The Vyllaine and the Lanerette may be sette vpon the stone incontinently, as soone as they be made.
3. A person or animal of a troublesome character in some respect. Const. to with inf.
1895. J. G. Millais, Breath fr. Veldt (1899), 201. The sable is a villain to run.
4. Comb., as villain-like adv.
1605. Shaks., Lear, V. iii. 98. He … that names me Traitor, villain-like he lies. Ibid. (1611), Cymb., V. v. 218. Villain-like, I lye.
