Obs. [ad. OF. (also mod.F.) violenter, or ad. med.L. violentāre to compel by force: see prec.]
1. trans. To strain or wrest the meaning of (words, a passage, etc.). rare.
1549. Latimer, 5th Serm. bef. Edw. VI. (Arb.), 150. Thus they force and violent thys place to make for theyr purpose, wher no such thynge is mente.
2. To constrain or force by violence; to compel or coerce (a person).
Freq. in the 17th c., esp. in Scottish writers.
1598. Florio, Vehementare, to vrge, to force, to constraine, to violent.
1634. Ld. Wariston, Diary (S.H.S.), 200. My saule violented and urged God by this argumenting prayer.
1655. R. Baillie, Dissuas. Vindication, Pref. I could no longer be dumb, but so violented, I at last do open my mouth.
1678. Sir G. Mackenzie, Crim. Laws Scot., I. xxxiv. § 7. (1699), 164. The civil Law in detestation of Force and Violence, did allow three several Remedies to the person violented.
1717. Boston, in Acc. Life (1908), 227. I hope the Reverend Commission will not violent me, which they will do, if they transport me to Closeburn.
1725. Wodrow, Corr. (1843), III. 179. This matter would … be softly handled; and the woman and her brother look like cruel and inhuman … people, in violenting the good man in this matter.
refl. 1730. Boston, Mem. (1899), 225. I would fain have caused draw the nail again, but because of one that was present I restrained and violented myself.
b. To compel or force (a person) to (unto, into) some action or to do something.
1655. Fuller, Ch. Hist., XI. xvii. 157. When a great Adversary stepping in so violented his Majesty to a Tryall, that all was … frustrated. Ibid. (1660), Mixt Contempl., xxxvii. (1841), 202. Surely many moderate men designed a good mark to themselves…. But query whether,… in our late civil destruction, they were not violented to outrun the mark.
1710. Blackwell, Schema Sacrum, v. 103. Sin and Damnation violenting him (as it were) unto the same.
1721. Wodrow, Hist. Suff. Ch. Scot., I. 469. The Procedure of this Period, in violenting People into the Declaration.
3. To bring about (an action) by force or compulsion. rare–1.
1650. R. Gentilis, Considerations, 53. The free putting himselfe into his hands … being done willingly, not violented by any extrinsecall mover.
4. To perpetrate or attempt with violence.
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, Anglesea, IV. (1662), 19. This Bishop Farrar was afterwards martyred in the raign of Queen Mary. I find not the least appearance, that his former adversaries violented any thing against him under that Queen.
5. intr. To act or rage with violence. rare–1.
The 1st Folio reads ‘no lesse.’
1606. Shaks., Tr. & Cr., IV. iv. 4 (Q.). Why tell you me of moderation? The greife is fine, full, perfect, that I taste, And violenteth in a sence as strong As that which causeth it.
Hence † Violented ppl. a. Obs.
1642. Howell, Twelve Treat. (1661), 90. It reaches to their very soules and consciences, by violented new coercive Oaths and Protestations.
c. 1643. Observ. on his Majesty’s late Answers, 24. A strange violented wrested conclusion.
