Vil"lain (?), n. [OE. vilein, F.
vilain, LL. villanus, from villa a village, L.
villa a farm. See Villa.]
1. (Feudal Law) One who holds lands by a
base, or servile, tenure, or in villenage; a feudal tenant of the lowest
class, a bondman or servant. [In this sense written also
villan, and villein.]
If any of my ansectors was a tenant, and a servant, and held
his lands as a villain to his lord, his posterity also must do so,
though accidentally they become noble.
Jer. Taylor.
&fist; Villains were of two sorts; villains regardant,
that is, annexed to the manor (LL. adscripti glebæ); and
villains in gross, that is, annexed to the person of their lord, and
transferable from one to another. Blackstone.
2. A baseborn or clownish person; a boor.
[R.]
Pour the blood of the villain in one basin, and the
blood of the gentleman in another, what difference shall there be
proved?
Becon.
3. A vile, wicked person; a man extremely depraved,
and capable or guilty of great crimes; a deliberate scoundrel; a knave; a
rascal; a scamp.
Like a villain with a smiling cheek.
Shak.
Calm, thinking villains, whom no faith could
fix.
Pope.
Vil"lain, a. [F. vilain.]
Villainous. [R.] Shak.
Vil"lain, v. t. To debase; to
degrade. [Obs.] Sir T. More.
Vil"lain (?), n. [OE. vilein, F.
vilain, LL. villanus, from villa a village, L.
villa a farm. See Villa.]
1. (Feudal Law) One who holds lands by a
base, or servile, tenure, or in villenage; a feudal tenant of the lowest
class, a bondman or servant. [In this sense written also
villan, and villein.]
If any of my ansectors was a tenant, and a servant, and held
his lands as a villain to his lord, his posterity also must do so,
though accidentally they become noble.
Jer. Taylor.
&fist; Villains were of two sorts; villains regardant,
that is, annexed to the manor (LL. adscripti glebæ); and
villains in gross, that is, annexed to the person of their lord, and
transferable from one to another. Blackstone.
2. A baseborn or clownish person; a boor.
[R.]
Pour the blood of the villain in one basin, and the
blood of the gentleman in another, what difference shall there be
proved?
Becon.
3. A vile, wicked person; a man extremely depraved,
and capable or guilty of great crimes; a deliberate scoundrel; a knave; a
rascal; a scamp.
Like a villain with a smiling cheek.
Shak.
Calm, thinking villains, whom no faith could
fix.
Pope.
Vil"lain, a. [F. vilain.]
Villainous. [R.] Shak.
Vil"lain, v. t. To debase; to
degrade. [Obs.] Sir T. More.
