Also 5 wyolent, 5–6 vyolent, violente. [a. OF. (also mod.F.) violent, or ad. L. violent-us (whence It., Sp. and Pg. violento) or violent-, violens (whence It. violente), forcible, impetuous, vehement, etc., f. vīs strength.]
A. adj. I. 1. Of things: Having some quality or qualities in such a degree as to produce a very marked or powerful effect (esp. in the way of injury or discomfort); intense, vehement, very strong or severe: a. Of the sun, heat, etc. † Violent signs (see quot. 1679).
c. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 852. It myght þe ayr swa corrumpud mak, Þat men þarof þe dede suld take, Swa vile it es and violent.
1390. Gower, Conf., III. 116. That planete which men calle Saturnus,… His climat is in Orient, Wher that he is most violent.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 339. A playne, Full of floures fresshe,… With voiders vnder vines for violent sonnes.
1412–20. Lydg., Chron. Troy, I. 2158. So violent and fervent was þe hete.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., IV. xxvi. 145 b. Vppon the coales … they cast a certaine seede, the smoke whereof was so violent, that foorth with it made them … dissy.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, II. vii. 97. If the sunnebeames be weake, they draw vp no fogge from the rivers, if they be violent [etc.].
1621. G. Sandys, Ovid’s Met., IV. (1626), 67. Signes onely vtter their vnwitnest loues: But hidden fire the violenter proues.
1679. Moxon, Math. Dict., 161. Violent Signs, are those in which the Malefick Planets, viz. Saturn or Mars have any notable Dignitie…. And also those in which there are any violent fixed Stars of note, and within the Zodiac. [Hence in Phillips, 1696.]
1719. London & Wise, Compl. Gard., 171. Till such times as the violent Frosts are over.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 380. Being again evaporated to dryness, it is … exposed to a violent heat in a crucible.
1864. Swinburne, Atalanta, 815. And thunder of storm on the sand,… Fierce air and violent light.
b. Of poison, † the blood, etc.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pard. T., 539. Sterue he shal, and that in lasse while. Than thou wolt goon a paas nat but a Mile; This poyson is so strong and violent.
a. 1400. Stockholm Med. MS., ii. 24, in Anglia, XVIII. 308. Powdyr of betonye eke is good, Medelyd with hony, for vyolent blod.
1460–70. Bk. Quintessence, 22. Discreet maistris seyn, þat þe feuere agu comounly is causid of a uyolent reed coler adust [etc.].
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Sublimate, Corrosive Sublimate … is then a violent Poison, which corrodes and destroys the Parts of the Body with much Violence.
c. Of pain, disease, etc.
14[?]. W. Paris, Cristine, 314 (Horstm., 1878). Foure men rokede hire to & froo, To make hire payne more violente.
c. 1450. Mirk’s Festial, 257. And þen was þys kyng smyton wyth a meselry þat was soo vyolent to hym, þat … he slogh hymselfe.
1607. Shaks., Cor., III. i. 222. Those cold wayes, That seeme like prudent helpes, are very poysonous, Where the Disease is violent.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Poison, The Hyoscyamus [is successful] in Hæmorrhagies, violent Heats and Inflammations.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XI. ii. The violent fatigue which both her mind and body had undergone.
1776. Trial of Nundocomar, 23/1. Some days he has violent purgings, at other times he gets better.
1799. Med. Jrnl., II. 474. As the intestines had been sufficiently emptied … by a violent diarrhœa. Ibid. (1803), X. 102. I think the influenza distinguishable from a common catarrh, inasmuch as the symptoms are, in general, more violent, painful, and distressing.
1843. R. J. Graves, Syst. Clin. Med., ix. 100. The patient … was attacked … by intensely violent maculated fever.
1899. Allbutt’s Syst. Med., VIII. 739. The condition was associated with violent headaches and neuralgia of the tongue of the same side.
d. Of passions. (Cf. sense 8 c.)
1586. T. B., La Primaud. Fr. Acad., I. 291. Even the violentest and most common passions of mans nature.
1605. Shaks., Macb., II. iii. 116. Th’ expedition of my violent Loue Out-run the pawser, Reason. Ibid., IV. iii. 169. Alas poore Countrey,… Where violent sorrow seemes A Moderne ecstasie.
1697. Dryden, Æneid, I. 948. A love so violent, so strong, so sure, That neither age can change, nor art can cure.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 120, ¶ 10. This natural Love in Brutes is much more violent and intense than in rational Creatures.
1789. W. Buchan, Dom. Med. (1790), 119. Love is perhaps the strongest of all the passions; at least, when it becomes violent, it is less subject to … control.
1797. Mrs. Radcliffe, Italian, i. She was of violent passions, haughty, vindictive, yet crafty and deceitful.
1808. W. Wilson, Hist. Dissent. Ch., I. 272. Parker was a man of violent passions.
† e. Of taste or smell: Very strong. Obs.
1604. E. G[rimstone], D’Acosta’s Hist. Indies, IV. xxvii. 284. It hath a strong savour, and in my opinion, too violent.
1780. Newgate Cal., V. 232. In the morning she perceived a violent smell of sulphur.
f. Of color: Intensely or extremely bright or strong; vivid. Also fig. of outline.
1768. Sterne, Sent. Journ., Le Dimanche. As the blue was not violent, it suited with the coat and breeches very well.
1873. B. Harte, Fiddletown, 11. Her hair, which was a very violent red, was [etc.].
1886. Ruskin, Præterita, II. 204. The accurate study of tree branches … bad more and more taught me the difference between violent and graceful lines.
1888. Cent. Mag., Feb., 559/1. Rouge, if too violent, by a natural law of color causes the planes of the cheeks to recede from the planes of the … whiter portions of the face.
2. Of natural forces: Possessed of or operating with great force or strength; moving, flowing, blowing, etc., strongly and impetuously.
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxxviii. (Adrian) 509. Of þe hewine a rayne gert fal, sa wyolent & fellonny, þat þe fyr slokit wes in hy.
1508. Dunbar, Gold. Targe, 238. Thay fyrit gunnis wyth powder violent.
1593. Shaks., Rich. II., II. i. 34. For violent fires soone burne out themselues.
1600. E. Blount, trans. Conestaggio, 230. Hee knewe it [a river] was verie violent, running betwixte high mountaines without anie forde.
1610. Holland, Camden’s Brit., 680. It carrieth so violent a streame that presently it is able to driue a mill.
1658. T. Willsford, Nature’s Secrets, 107. Venus and ☽,… much increases the flowing of the Seas, causing violent Tides.
1712. E. Cooke, Voy. S. Sea, 382. The South and S.W. Winds, which are the violentest Winter Winds there.
1794. Mrs. Radcliffe, Myst. Udolpho, xxix. The accumulating clouds … assumed a red sulphureous tinge that foretold a violent storm.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 46. In some places the time of change is attended with calms, in others … with violent tempests.
1854. Poultry Chron., II. 407/2. The circumstance of their having been in a violent storm and completely drenched.
1875. Encycl. Brit., III. 809/2. The violent explosives disintegrate the rock into a plastic mass.
b. Of noise: Extremely loud.
1602. Kyd’s Span. Trag., III. xii a. 131. Then, sir, after some violent noyse, bring me foorth … with my torch in my hand.
1761. in Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3), X. 56/2. There appeared a prodigious smoke, attended with the same violent noise.
1815. J. Smith, Panorama Sci. & Art, II. 836. At the instant of its beginning to melt, it explodes with a violent report.
1852. Dickens, Bleak Ho., vi. The stranger only answered with another violent snort.
3. Of persons: Acting with or using physical force or violence, esp. in order to injure, control or intimidate others; committing harm or doing destruction in this way; † acting illegally, taking illegal possession.
1382. Wyclif, Matt. xi. 12. The kyngdam of heuenes suffreth strengthe, or violence, and violent men rauyshen it.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), I. 87. Men þey acounteþ violent and wommen mylde, and euere þei beeþ vnesi to hir neiheboures.
c. 1460. Wisdom, 1101, in Macro Plays, 71. With my syght I se þe people vyolent.
1533. More, Apol., xl. 225. The man is bysyde so violent and so iubardouse, that none of theym dare be a knowen to speke of it.
1555. Sc. Acts, Mary (1814), II. 494/2. The actioun aganis the violent occupyaris and possessouris foirsaidis.
1560. Bible (Genev.), Ps. lxxxv. 14. The proude are risen against me, and the assemblies of violent men haue soght my soule.
1662. Bk. Com. Prayer, For Restoring Public Peace. The outrage of a violent and unruly people.
1687. Assur. Abbey Lands, 195. A violent possessor of Church-lands.
1782. J. Brown, Nat. & Rev. Relig., I. i. 29. Violent injurers of others being public pests of society.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., v. I. 662. He had … been very unwilling to employ as his deputy a man so violent and unprincipled as Goodenough.
absol. 1388. Wyclif, Job v. 15. God schal make saaf … a pore man fro the hond of the violent.
1535. Coverdale, Matt. xi. 12. Ye kyngdome of heauen suffreth violence, and the violent plucke it vnto them.
b. Of the hand. Chiefly in the phr. to lay violent hands on or upon (also Sc. † in).
c. 1375. Sc. Leg. Saints, xxviii. (Margaret), 125. Þan ware handis wyolent layd one þat cristis Innocent.
1529. More, Dyaloge, IV. Wks. 274/1. Al our dedes good or badde ascend or descende by the violent hande of God.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., III. ii. 22. Teach her not thus to lay Such violent hands vppon her tender life.
1597. in Maitl. Cl. Misc., I. 129. A. H. … is fund … ane quha hes put violent handis in his father.
1605. Shaks., Macb., V. viii. 70. His Fiend-like Queene, Who (as ’tis thought) by selfe and violent hands, Tooke off her life.
1662. Bk. Com. Prayer, Burial Dead. The Office ensuing is not to be used for any that … have laid violent hands upon themselves.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XII. iii. He laid violent hands on the collar of poor Partridge.
1753. Chambers’ Cycl., Suppl., s.v. Vices, Staying him [sc. a horse], by degrees, with a steady, not a violent hand.
c. 1850. Bryant, The Path, 70. What guilt is theirs who, in their greed or spite, Undo thy holy work with violent hands!
† c. With to (a person or thing). Obs.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., V. ii. 109. I pray thee doe on them some violent death, They haue bene violent to me and mine.
1645. Milton, Tetrach., 67. Colluders your selves, as violent to this law of God by your unmercifull binding, as the Pharises by their unbounded loosning!
4. Of actions: a. Characterized by the doing of harm or injury; accompanied by the exercise of violence.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 1013. Þis was a vengaunce violent þat voyded þise places, Þat foundered has so fayre a folk & þe folde sonkken.
c. 1380. Antecrist, in Todd, Three Treat. Wyclif, 116. Þe first persecution of þe chirche was violent, whenne cristen men weren compellid bi exilyngis, betyngis, & deþis to make sacrifice to ydols.
1548. Cooper, Elyot’s Dict., Raptio,… violent taking of a persone.
1598. Shaks., Merry W., III. ii. 44. To these violent proceedings all my neighbors shall cry aime. Ibid. (1606), Tr. & Cr., V. iii. 21. [To use] violent thefts, And rob in the behalfe of charitie.
1617. Moryson, Itin., III. 43. The more violent, at least more lasting persecution of them by fier under Marie, late Queene of England.
a. 1720. Sewell, Hist. Quakers, I. Pref. a 3. They … have at length Triumphed … by suffering,… and under violent Oppression from High and Low.
1809–10. Coleridge, Friend (1865), 140. There could be no motive for a sudden and violent change of government.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, liii. Thus violent deeds live after men upon the earth.
1849. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., v. I. 546. The injustice with which he had been treated would have excused him if he had resorted to violent methods of redress.
b. Characterized by the exertion of great physical force or strength; done or performed with intense or unusual force, and with some degree of rapidity; not gentle or moderate.
In later use (b) tending to a weaker sense.
(a) 1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., III. xv. (1495), 60. By vyolent stoppyng of the throte and of the arteryes.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 114 b. By the violent fall of the sayd crosse in to the morteys.
a. 1547. Surrey, in Tottel’s Misc. (Arb.), 27. The lofty pyne the great winde often riues: With violenter swey falne turrets stepe.
1595. Shaks., John, V. vii. 49. Oh, I am scalded with my violent motion And spleene of speede, to see your Maiesty. Ibid. (1601), All’s Well, III. ii. 112. O you leaden messengers, That ride vpon the violent speede of fire.
1664. H. Power, Exp. Philos., 93. We perceived … the little particles of air … on the suddain to become more visible by a violent and rapid dilatation.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., V. xii. 69. The Piece is Level, and will carry the Bullet Horizontally in his violent Course.
1725. De Foe, Voy. round World (1840), 332. There was … some more violent motion at a distance.
1798. S. & Ht. Lee, Canterb. T., II. 133. Wine acted powerfully on a constitution already feverish with violent exercise.
1837. Whewell, Hist. Induct. Sci. (1857), I. 7. Classifying them into Natural Motions and Violent Motions.
(b) 1857. Miller, Elem. Chem., Org., viii. 536. The action of bromine upon indigo is analogous to that of chlorine, though it is less violent.
1862. H. Spencer, First Princ., I. v. § 32 (1875), 119. During those early stages … both political and religious changes … are necessarily violent; and necessarily entail violent retrogressions.
1868. Bain, Mental & Mor. Sci., IV. iii. 341. A certain impetus has been given,… and, if restrained outwardly, it seems to be more violent inwardly.
c. Tending to wrest or pervert the meaning.
1720. Waterland, Eight Serm., 104. That we ought not to be wise beyond what is written, nor put a violent Construction on any Passages.
5. † a. In violent, by force or constraint. Obs.–1
c. 1440. Alph. Tales, 148. Þai … told hym þat þai tuke not his son & made him freer [= friar] in violent, bod he offerd hym þerto on his awn gude will.
† b. Due or subject to constraint or force; not free or voluntary; forced. Obs.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 124. They desyre the kynge to forsee, that there be no violent counsell called, in a place suspect & perillous, to the intent that vnder the name of a counsel, the true doctrine be not extinguished.
1574. Hellowes, Gueuara’s Fam. Ep. (1577), 297. All violent marriages engender hatred betwixt the married.
1625. N. Carpenter, Geog. Del., II. v. (1635), 71. This conformity of the water dropps in a round figure is rather Violent, then Naturall.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 97. Ease would recant Vows made in pain, as violent and void.
c. Of death: Caused by or due to physical violence; not natural.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., V. ii. 108. I pray thee doe on them some violent death. Ibid. (1593), 2 Hen. VI., I. iv. 34. The Duke yet liues, that Henry shall depose: But him out-liue, and dye a violent death.
1651. Hobbes, Leviath., II. xxi. 114. Though Soveraignty … is,… in its own nature, not only subject to violent death, by forreign war; but also [etc.].
1790. Paley, Serm., Wks. (1834), 598/2. Sudden, violent, or untimely deaths … leave an impression upon a whole neighbourhood.
1822. Scott, Nigel, xxv. Men, who had both, within … less than half an hour, suffered violent death.
1836–7. Dickens, Sk. Boz, Scenes, xxv. Whose miserable career will shortly terminate in a violent and shameful death.
1863. Boyd, Graver Thoughts Country Parson, Ser. I. iv. 67. The violent end of the martyr Stephen.
d. Sc. Law. Of profits: (see quot. 1765–8).
1594. Sc. Acts, Jas. VI. (1816), IV. 69/1. In all tyme cuming the partie pursewit be ane vther for eiectioun sall find cautioun for the violent proffittis. Ibid. (1606), 286. The saidis decreittis … may bring þe danger of the ȝeirlie violent proffeittis vpoun the persones.
1678. Sir G. Mackenzie, Crim. Laws Scot., II. vi. § 4 (1699), 190. When spoilzies or ejections are civilly pursued, the conclusion is violent profits (which is the double Rent of the Lands, and restitution of the thing craved).
1752. W. Stewart, in Scots Mag. (1753), 294/1. It can be no more than violent profits, which is often modified in inferior courts.
1765–8. Erskine, Inst. Law Scot., II. vi. § 54. Violent profits are so called, because they become due on the tenant’s forcible or unwarrantable detaining the possession after he ought to have removed.
1814. Scott, Wav., lxvi. Even when ye hae gotten decreet of spuitzie, oppression, and violent profits against them.
1838. W. Bell, Dict. Law Scot., 1028. In rural tenements, the violent profits are held to be the full profits which the landlord could have made…. In urban tenements, the violent profits are generally estimated at double the stipulated rent.
6. Of persons, their temper, etc.: Displaying or exhibiting passion, excessive ardor, or lack of moderation in action or conduct. Cf. sense 3.
1647. Clarendon, Hist. Reb., III. § 149. If this Bill were once passed … the Violenter Party would be never able to prosecute their Designs.
1654. Gataker, Disc. Apol., 27. Some of the violenter sort of the other partie.
1706. Hearne, Collect. (O.H.S.), I. 291. Dunster, one of ye Violentest Whiggs.
1715. Burnet, Hist. Own Time (1766), I. 155. One of the violentest Ministers of the whole party.
1769. Burke, Corr. (1844), I. 215. He entertained me with an account of the present state of Lord Chatham’s politics; violent, as before, against the ininistry.
1858. Ld. Granville, in Fitzmaurice, Life (1905), I. 306. Shaftesbury … is much more violent for you than he was against you.
1888. J. Clark Murray, trans. S. Maimon: Autob., ix. 59. In my passions I was violent and impatient.
absol. 1681. Dryden, Abs. & Achit., To Rdr. The Violent on both sides will condemn the Character of Absalom.
1713. Pope, Lett. (1735), I. 200. I am no way displeased that I have offended the Violent of all Parties already.
7. Of language, or writings: Resulting from, indicative or expressive of, strong feeling.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, XI. v. He … concluded by a very fond caress, and many violent protestations of love.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xiv. The letter,… the contents of which were as singular as the expression was violent.
1826. Disraeli, Viv. Grey, V. xi. He wrote violent letters, protesting his innocence.
1872. J. Morley, Voltaire (1886), 5. The temperament which mistakes strong expression for strong judgment, and violent phrase for grounded conviction.
II. 8. In intensive use: Very or extremely great, strong or severe. a. In legal use, chiefly Sc., of suspicion or presumption.
1516. Sc. Acts, Jas. V. (1875), XII. 36/2. All Lawis excludis þe said governour fra administracion and governance for suspicioun vehement and violent.
1678. Sir G. Mackenzie, Crim. Laws Scot., II. xxiv. § 3 (1699), 256. Except the Presumptions be very violent, I cannot allow this Limitation. Ibid., xxv. § 4. 263. Presumptions are divided, in Presumptions that are violent … and these that are not violent.
1768. Blackstone, Comm., III. 371. Violent presumption is many times equal to full proof.
b. In general use.
1578. Timme, Caluine on Gen., 30. It is too violent a cavill that Moses for instructions sake, distributeth all those thinges which he made at once, into sixe days.
1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. ii. (Arb.), 153. My Lord the simple woman is not so much to blame as her lewde abbettours, who by violent perswasions haue lead her into this wilfulnesse.
1607. Shaks., Cor., IV. vi. 73. He and Auffidius can no more attone Then violent’st Contrariety.
1641. Milton, Animadv., v. Wks. 1738, I. 92. If your meaning be with a violent Hyperbaton to transpose the Text.
1807. Syd. Smith, Lett. Catholics, Wks. 1859, II. 176/1. I cannot make use of so violent a metaphor.
1830. Herschel, Study Nat. Phil., 154. Ammonia is, however, a violent outstanding exception.
1891. Farrar, Darkn. & Dawn, lxii. Judæa was in a state of violent revolt, and the presence of an able general was urgently needed.
c. Of feelings, etc.
1593. Shaks., Lucr., 894. Thy violent vanities can never last.
1609. Dekker, Gull’s Horn-bk., 27. That argues a violent impatience to depart from your money.
1638. Junius, Paint. Ancients, 45. A blind fit of a most violent and irresistible fury.
1742. Fielding, J. Andrews, I. iv. The violent respect he preserved for her.
a. 1770. Jortin, Serm. (1771), II. ii. 28. Repining and discontent arise from a violent affection for things here below.
1828. Lytton, Pelham, I. xxiii. The duchesse was in a violent fright.
1846. Mrs. A. Marsh, Father Darcy, II. xiii. 231. With that feeling of violent irritation which the slightest contradiction now produced.
1875. Jowett, Plato (ed. 2), V. 76. The intemperate life has violent delights, and still more violent desires.
† B. As adv. Violently. Obs.
1709. Lady M. W. Montagu, Lett. to Mrs. Hewet, 12 Nov. These wars make men so violent scarce, that these good ladies take up with the shadows of them.
1712. W. Rogers, Voy., 39. This was a fair pleasant Day, but violent hot.
1719. London & Wise, Compl. Gard., 171. If it freezes so violent as that we are expos’d to danger.
† C. sb. Something that acts with violence or force; a violent passion or person. Obs. rare.
1619. Lushington, Resurrect. Rescued (1659), 21. All those Violents of the Soul which have mischiefs for their Objects,… as sorrow, fear and despair.
1667. Decay Chr. Piety, iv. 53. Did the Covetous extortioner observe that he is involv’d in the same sentence, [and] remember that such Violents shall take not heaven, but hell, by force.
