v. Also 6–7 tir-. [a. F. tyranniser (14th c. in Hatz.-Darm.), f. tyran TYRANT; cf. late L. tyrannizāre to act the tyrant, Gr. τυραννίξειν to side with a tyrant; also Pg. tyrannizar, Sp. tiranizar, It. tirannizare.]
1. a. intr. To be a despot or absolute ruler; to exercise absolute rule. Const. over.
1590. Spenser, F. Q., II. x. 57. Then gan Carausius tirannize anew, And gainst the Romanes bent their proper powre.
1628. Hobbes, Thucyd. (1822), 9. Polycrates, who … tyrannized in Samos.
1737. Whiston, Josephus, Antiq., I. vi. § 2. Nimrod … stayed and tyrannized at Babylon.
1889. J. Jacobs, Æsop, 33. Here [at Athens] he ‘tyrannised’ in an easy-going way for ten years.
† b. trans. To have absolute sovereignty in or over; to rule over or dominate with absolute power. (Cf. 4.) Also fig. Obs.
1583. Stocker, Civ. Warres Lowe C., I. 6. The 12. articles … inuented and practised by the Spanish Inquisition, to the end they might inuade, get, and tyrannize the Belgique prouinces.
1651. Nicholas Papers (Camden), 270. That whisperinge calumniator who hath of late tyrannized their eares.
1670. Milton, Hist. Eng., I. Wks. 1851, V. 5. Giants, who tyranniz’d the Ile, till Brutus came.
1795. Wraxall, Hist. France, III. 175. His hopes of retaining the duchy of Brittany which he had tyrannized during a number of years.
2. intr. To reign tyrannically; to rule despotically or oppressively. Const. over († on, upon).
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VI. cl. 138. Sigebertus was thus depryuyd … when he … had reygned or tyrannysyd two yeres.
1588. Marprel. Epist. (Arb.), 21. Oppressing and tyrannizing ouer her Maiesties subiects.
a. 1604. Hanmer, Chron. Irel. (1809), 136. Athelfrid the Saxon King of Northumbers, so tyrannized over the Britaines, that they were faine to take Ireland for their refuge.
a. 1641. Bp. Mountagu, Acts & Mon., i. (1642), 20. The King of Egypt after Iosephs death … did tyrannize upon them with all extremity.
1741. Pulteney, in Johnson’s Debates, 16 April (1787), I. 388. That power by which … the administration has tyrannized without controul.
1807. G. Chalmers, Caledonia, I. II. vi. 309. The kings … had strengths, wherein they lived; and whence they tyrannized.
1814. Scott, Lett. to J. S. B. Morritt, 30 April, in Lockhart. A glorious and stable peace with the country over which he tyrannized, and its lawful ruler.
b. trans. To spend (time) in tyrannizing. rare.
1649. Milton, Eikon., xxvii. Idlely raigning … he either tyranniz’d or trifl’d away those seventeen yeares of peace.
3. intr. To act tyrannically, play the tyrant; to exercise power or control oppressively or cruelly. Const. as in 2.
1529. Frith, Antithesis (1829), 314. Think you they would not let you know the cause and judgment, if they did justice & not tyrannize.
1590. Marlowe, Edw. II., I. ii. What! will they tyrannize upon the Church?
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. I. i. (1651), 38. A sacrilegious Frenchman … became frantick … tyrannizing over his own flesh.
1639. Fuller, Holy War, III. xxvii. (1840), 167. They within the city, being themselves safe on shore, tyrannized on their poor brethren in shipwreck.
1690. C. Nesse, O. & N. Test., I. 59. Popish prelates … tyrannizing also over the bones of the dead.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, I. vi. It is the nature of such persons … to insult and tyrannise over little people.
1817. Shelley, Rev. Islam, Ded. iv. The selfish and the strong still tyrannize Without reproach or check.
1846. S. Sharpe, Hist. Egypt, xi. 364. The great were not allowed to tyrannize over the poor.
b. fig. of things.
1588. Shaks., Tit. A., III. ii. 8. This poore right hand of mine, Is left to tirranize vppon my breast.
1615. W. Lawson, Country Housew. Gard. (1626), 39. A long, proud, and disorderly Cyon,… bearing no fruit, till it haue tyrannized ouer the whole tree.
1670. Dryden, 1st Pt. Conq. Granada, V. i. Affairs of State … should not tyrannize on Love, but wait.
1805. Foster, Ess., IV. vii. 217. The influences which tyrannise over human passions and opinions.
1833. J. H. Newman, Arians, I. ii. (1876), 25. [The Arian heresy] made its way into the highest dignities of the Church … and tyrannized over the majority of her members who were orthodox believers.
1838–9. Fr. A. Kemble, Resid. in Georgia (1863), 19. The cold … tyrannizing over your region.
4. trans. To rule or govern tyrannically; to treat tyrannically, play the tyrant to or over. (Cf. 1 b.) Now rare.
a. 1533. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), H h ij. That one with tyranny shuld tyrannise dyuers other.
1594. Daniel, Cleopatra, II. i. But that he must … tyrannize Th’ afflicted Body of a woeful Woman.
1596. Danett, trans. Comines (1614), 183. Their subiects, whom they tyrannize and oppresse … without any compassion.
1649. Milton, Eikon., iv. Had … rather sit still, and let his Country be tyrannized, than that the people … should … demand their rights.
1675. G. R., trans. Le Grand’s Man without Passion, 34. The Proud Mistresses of Beauty, that Tyrannize the Spirits of indiscreet men.
1761. Murphy, Old Maid, II. i. Do not tyrannize me thus with alternate doubts and fears.
1783. Justamond, trans. Raynal’s Hist. Indies, V. 268. They are tyrannized, mutilated, burnt, and put to death.
1896. Daily News, 20 Feb., 6/1. A poor, weak ruler he was. The tyrant was tyrannised by the set about him.
b. fig. of things.
1588. W. Byrd, Psalmes, etc., xxviii. 2. Pleasure … doth tirannize the ship.
1621. Burton, Anat. Mel., I. ii. IV. vi. (1628), 147. Poverty, which doth so tyrannize, crucifie, and generally depresse vs.
1741. Mrs. Montagu, Lett. (1813), I. 271. Happier are they who are governed by another’s will than such as are tyrannized by their own.
1887. G. Meredith, Solon, iv. But shall the Present tyrannize us?
† 5. To render tyrannical; to make oppressive. Obs. rare–1.
1643. Milton, Divorce, II. xx. The canon law…, whose boisterous edicts tyrannizing the blessed ordinance of marriage into the quality of a most unnatural … yoke [etc.].
Hence Tyrannized ppl. a., Tyrannizing vbl. sb. and ppl. a.; whence Tyrannizingly adv.
1589. Hay any Work, 41. For their tyrannizing ouer him.
1611. Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., VII. xviii. § 5. 290. His Christian heart pitying at such heathenish tyrannizings.
1642. Milton, Apol. Smect., Wks. 1851, III. 320. A slavish obedience without law; which is the known definition of a tyrant, and a tyranniz’d people.
1650. A. B., Mutat. Polemo, 9. A self willed and wildly-Tyrannizing Monarch.
c. 1680. Roxb. Ball. (1887), VI. 290. Cupid, leave thy Tyrannizing!
1756. World, No. 206, ¶ 7. In … a few months, from being a restless, tyrannized, tormented wretch, I found myself a husband, a cuckold, and a happy man.
a. 1774. Tucker, Lt. Nat. (1834), II. 80. The crown, the church, and the barons, struggling which should have the tyrannizing over the people.
1790. Han. More, Relig. Fash. World (1791), 89. Those tyrannizing inclinations, which have so natural a tendency to enslave the human heart.
1832. H. Melvile in Preacher, III. 221/1. That infidelity which shall rule tyrannizingly over Christendom.
1881. Athenæum, 27 Aug., 268/1. Intolerant of mean compliances and tyrannizing superiors.
1905. Daily Chron., 16 Feb., 5/2. The Church of the Concordat will be succeeded either by a free Church or by a tyrannised Church.
