v. Obs. Forms: 4 anientise, anyentise, 4–5 anientisse, anyntische, -esche, anentysch(e, -isch(e, annentissche, 4–6 anyntise, 5 anentise, -ish, -yssh, anyyntysch (enyyn-, enyntysch), 6 aneauntyse (8 aneantize). Aphet. 4 neentishe. [a. Ofr. anientiss- extended stem of anientir (later aniantir, anaiantir, anéantir) var. of anienter: see prec., and -ISH. Aneantize, in 18th c., is after mod.Fr.]
1. To bring to nought, annul, annihilate, destroy.
1382. Wyclif, Rom. iv. 14. If thei that ben of the lawe, ben eyris, feith is anentyschid, or distroyed.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Melib., 282. Ye han nat anientissed [v.r. anyntesched, anentisched] or destroyed hem.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., Anyyntyschyn or enyntyschyn, Exinanio.
1483. Act 1 Rich. III., ii. § 1. Such memorialles as they had ordeigned … were anentised and anulled.
1791. J. Bree, Cursory Sketch, 324. [modernizing petition of 1430] To great aneantizing and impoverishing of them [the persons of the same vessels].
2. To make of no account, to bring low, reduce.
1382. Wyclif, Ecclus. xiii. 8. To the tyme he neentishe [1388 anyntische] thee twies or thries.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., V. x. Olde men þat ben anyntised … and wastid by elde oþer siknesse.
1496. Dives & Paup. (W. de Worde), VI. xv. 258/1. Cryste … anentysshed hymself and dysparyched hymselfe in to the lykenesse of a seruaunt.
1530. Love, Bonavent. Mirr., xiii. (W. de Worde), H vj. in so moche he lowed hym and aneauntysed [Gibbs MS. anentysched] hymselfe, that [etc.].
