sb., prep. and adv. Also 8 viz-a-viz. 8–9 vis-a-vis. [F. vis-à-vis face to face, f. vis:—L. vīsum, acc. of vīsus sight, face: see VIS sb.1]
A. sb. 1. A light carriage for two persons sitting face-to-face. Obs. exc. Hist.
1753. H. Walpole, Lett. to G. Montague, 17 July. He was walking slowly … with … two pages, three footmen and a vis-à-vis following him.
1768. J. Byron, Narr. Patagonia (ed. 2), 230. The common vehicle here is a calash, or kind of vis-à-vis, drawn by one mule only.
1781. W. Hayley, Triumphs of Temper, II. 98. Her quick eyes sparkle with surprise to see The glories of a golden viz-a-viz.
1831. Sir J. Sinclair, Corr., II. 357. It is necessary to purchase a very strong carriage…. A vis-a-vis is the best shape, made so that it can be converted into a bed.
1844. Act 7 & 8 Vict., c. 91. Sched., Every horse … drawing any coach … chaise, phaeton, vis-a-vis, calash, curricle.
plur. 1775. Mme. D’Arblay, Early Diary (1889), II. 13. Not being much in town, the new vis-à-vis were not familiar to him.
1787. in Sixth Rep. Dep. Kpr. Publ. Rec., II. 177. A new method of hanging Coaches, Vis à Viss, and other Bodies.
1802. Sporting Mag., XX. 41. The number of coaches … vis-à-vis … and nondescripts.
1834. in J. Tomlinson, Dorcaster (1887), 265. Mrs. Belcher for Chaises and visivis [sic].
2. One or other of two persons or things facing, or situated opposite to, each other.
c. 1757. Lett., in J. H. Jesse, Selwyn & Contemp. (1843), I. 158. We are reduced to Miss Wylde, who has a most charming vis-à-vis, Mr. Ward, who sings like a nightingale.
1766. G. Williams, Ibid., II. 56. My vis-à-vis thinks you have done wrong to let even the music-meeting go off unattended.
1840. Hood, Up Rhine, 113. There you are, at an Innkeeper’s ordinary, with all kinds of low company, and a common soldier for your vis-a-vis.
1865. W. G. Palgrave, Arabia, II. 204. Menamah, though larger in extent than Moharrek, has a less showy appearance: it is a centre of commerce, as its vis-à-vis is of government.
1893. Martin, in Barrows, Parl. Relig., II. 1142. Does it make no difference to us, whether we have for our vis-a-vis on the other shore of the ocean a Christian or a pagan power?
b. esp. in dancing. Also as pl.
1808. Miss Berry, Jrnls. & Corr., II. 371. It seems perfectly indifferent to them [the peasant men and women dancing] who is their vis-à-vis.
1834. Marryat, P. Simple (1863), 231. Miss Eurydice had but a sorry partner, but she undertook to instruct me. O’Brien was our vis-à-vis with Miss Euterpe.
1841. Thackeray, Gt. Hoggarty Diamond, iv. Lady Jane Preston … asked me to dance with her. We had my Lord Tiptoff and Lady Fanny Rakes for our vis-à-vis.
1877. Mar. M. Grant, Sun-Maid, xiv. Partners were scrambling for vis-à-vis and places.
3. A meeting face to face; an encounter.
1867. Baker, Nile Trib., ii. 41. This being my first vis-à-vis with a hippo, I was not certain whether I could claim the victory.
1871. ‘M. Legrand,’ Cambr. Freshm., 345. Every minute brought him nearer the dreaded vis-à-vis with an omniscient M.A.
B. 1. prep. Over against, in comparison with, in relation to; also lit., facing, face to face with.
1755. H. Walpole, Lett. to R. Bentley, 16 Nov. What a figure would they … make vis-à-vis his manly vivacity and dashing eloquence.
1759. Chesterf., Lett. (1792), IV. 161. I allow his army will be what you say; but what will that be vis-à-vis French, Austrians, Imperialists, Swedes, and Russians, who must amount to double that number?
1847. E. Brontë, Wuthering Heights, i. His master dived down to him, leaving me vis-à-vis the ruffianly bitch.
1907. Westm. Gaz., 24 July, 10/1. He is responsible vis-à-vis the Government for their efficiency.
2. adv. Opposite, so as to face (another or each other).
1807. Byron, Lett., in Moore, Life (1830), I. 111. Even the hero of my Cornelian (who is now sitting vis-à-vis, reading a volume of my Poetics) passed me in Trinity walks.
1816. Gentl. Mag., LXXXVI. I. 6. The captivating air and fascinating manners of a French lady, who sat vis-a-vis.
1871. Nesbitt, Catal. Slade Coll. Glass, 75. A pair of doves are poised vis-a-vis.
b. Const. to or with.
1814. Scott, Wav., lxi. Waverley … found himself in the desired vehicle, vis-à-vis to Mrs. Nosebag.
1841. Mrs. Mozley, Lost Brooch, II. xx. 142. Only too well pleased to find myself once again vis a vis to Constance Duff.
1870. Disraeli, Lothair, xxi. Lothair was there vis-à-vis with Miss Arundel.
Hence Vis-à-vis v.; Vis-à-visness.
1839. Lever, H. Lorrequer, vi. The hissing kettle on the hob was vis à vis’d by a gridiron with three newly-taken trout.
1887. E. Gurney, Tertium. Quid, I. 371. I doubt whether it would involve anything like the sense of vis-à-vis-ness or parallelism, suggested to me now by such a phrase as ‘posited myself in space.’
