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First published 2002 (DOST Vol. XI).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Veng(e)ance, n. Also: veng(e)ans, venge(e)nce, vengeaunce, -ange, vengiance, wengeance, -ans, -auns, -awnce, wengance, -ans, -ence, -ens, weangeance, veniance, wangeauns. Pl. also venenges. [ME and e.m.E. vengaunce (1297), vengeance, wengeance (both Cursor M.), vengeaunce (Chaucer), veniauns (1460), vengance (Caxton), OF vengeance.]

1. Vengeance; retribution. Chiefly to tak (wirk, etc.) vengeance of(f), (ap)on (an adversary), for (= on behalf of, because of) (a person or deed).(1) 1375 Barb. xix 239 (C).
And in wengeans [E. the wengeance] of this trespas … [They] bown thaim to ga In Ingland for to burne and sla c1420 Wynt. vii 498 (W).
That he wes tratour thare wes sene Be opin vengeance, withoutin weyne; By the king … As he wes … set … to the king he said … Gif euer I thocht for to do sa [sc. betray him] I pray to God … That this … breid … be now my deid [etc.] c1460 Regim. Princ. 216 (Maitl.).
Trowis thow nocht God to heiast hewin thame heiris Cryand vengeance [Marchm. vengiance] for falt of lyveis fude Off thé and thame that reiffis thame thair gude c1515 Asl. MS I 211/20.
The erd quoke … so horribilly … that all the pepill was efferit of thar lyvis and said it was for wengeans of thar warijt king 1531 Bell. Boece II 229.
Followit, sa ithand incursionis, … and slauchter, in al partis thairof, that it micht have bene sufficient document to al pepil of vengeance and sorow that fallis be civill weris 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 34.
This vyce [sc. highway robbery] can not proceid of vengeance bot rather of lust and plesour in wickitnes(b) 1456 Hay II 62/6.
Ire … disturnis a mannis curage to vengeaunce(c) ?a1500 Obsecro 82.
Fra perrall, and fra pestilence, Fra suddane dede, & fra vengence; Thou purches me, throu thi praying c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 107/30.
God schawis the richt With soir vengence c1520-c1535 Nisbet I 10.
He … teachit His discipilles to be hwmyll. Thay desirit wengence bot He repruyffit them a1578 Pitsc. I 149/18.
Thair was na thing bot workin of wengence Quhilk come schortlie throch the wariance Betwine thir thrie men(d) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Rom. xii 19.
The Lord sais, To me veniance [P. veniaunce](2) 1375 Barb. i 571.
He … swour that he suld wengeance ta Off that Brwys that presumyt swa Aganys him to brawle or rys 1375 Barb. vi 506 (C).
Micht he hym outhir sla or tak, He wald nocht pris his liff a stra, With-thi he vengeans on hym mycht ta a1400 Leg. S. xxxi 400.
Na serpent has a hed sa … venamuse, na sa cruel As the hed of the colubre is, Na is na wikitnes I-wyse As is the ewil of the woman, Quhare scho wald wengeans be tan ?1438 Alex. i 1485.
In grete will vengeance for to tak, Ane schot on Pirrus can he mak ?1438 Alex. i 1641.
Vengeange 1456 Hay I 295/3.
He tuke the realme wrangwisly, and was sik vengeaunce tane first on thame, and syne on him that commounyt with thame 1456 Hay II 84/9.
Thare come of the hevyn a birnand hate wynd quhilk tuke syk a vengeaunce of all thai princis with thair anerdaris that never ane was left on lyve c1490 Porteous Noblenes 177/22 (A).
Thai ar nocht outtrageous to answer in cruell langage nor to tak vengeance be strenth 1490 Irland Mir. II 57/6.
All creatur sall … accus the synnar and be redy to tak wangeauns for the inobediens done to God 1513 Doug. xi vi 80.
The montane Caphareus … That vengeans tuke and wraik upon our floyt 1623 Crim. Trials III 548.
Thair guiltie conscience standing vp aganis thame, as ane burreaw to tak vengence of thame(b) ?1438 Alex. i 959.
Thair was wengance, and that was richt, Tane for schir Sampsoun c1460 Wisd. Sol. (STS) 408.
God … takis na vengans one thaim lang tyme(3) a1400 Leg. S. iii 810.
In hope that Cesare suld sowne Ger wengeance fore this be done c1400 Troy-bk. ii 2762.
Orestes … Of knychtis gat gret company And come on Pirrus suddanly And with his awne hand can him slo, And so gan hertlie wengeance mo c1500-c1512 Dunb. (OUP) 213/42.
War nocht the mater wald grow mair To wirk vengeance on ane demair c1520-c1535 Nisbet Acts vii 24 (see Venge v. pres.). 1535 Stewart 53678.
Tha war all immemoir Of the vengeance wes send on thame befoir c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 754.
Euerie man did his diligence Upon his fo to wirk vengence 15.. Clar. iii 923.
That for my saike ȝe do not sic vengence, That efter may turne to ȝour displisance 1558-66 Knox II 362.
That same God, who … hes poured furth his vengeance upoun such proude mockaris, shall not spair you(b) c1552 Lynd. Mon. 3778.
He saw, in to his visioun … Quhow that the Grekis sulde wyrk vengeence Upone the Medis and Persience

2. An act or instance of revenge or retribution, also the vengeance of God. b. As an exclamation or part of a curse (on another).(1) 1375 Barb. xix 241 (see 1 (1) above). c1420 Wynt. viii 4459.
Thare wes the wengeawnce tane perfay Off the brynnyng off that abbay 1456 Hay I 50/20.
It was a grete pitee to se the cruell vengeaunce a1500 Lanc. 1409.
Wengans 1490 Irland Mir. III 68/34.
That the ire and wengeans of God strik nocht suddanly on him 1514-6 St. A. Formulare I 270.
That all the uarld ma see the vengiance of God cum apoun thame 1563-1570 Buch. Wr. 35.
The quhilk vengeance justice and honour craivis of hir sa instantlie that scho can not chese bot to persew thame 1631 Rutherford Lett. (1894) 62 (see Writ(t)in ppl. adj. 1 c (2)). c1680 McWard Serm. 187 (see Writ(t)in ppl. adj. 1 c (2)).(2) ?1438 Alex. i 203.
I tak now ane vengance a1500 Henr. Fab. 2761.
For it cryis ane vengeance vnto the heuinnis hie To gar ane pure man wirk but meit or fe 1535 Stewart 3765.
He sall neuir be at concord with the laif Quhill he ane mendis or ane vengance haif(b) a1500 Henr. Fab. 531 (Bann.).
Ȝone was ane verrye weangeance fra the hevin(3) c1420 Wynt. viii 3550.
[Qwhat!] sal I ek till Goddis wengeance c1515 Asl. MS I 196/7.
In rememberance of thair awne sorow and wengeance 1567 G. Ball. 103.
Haist Thy vengeance On hypocrites, humlie I Thé exhort a1652 Dickson Psalms I 114.
His vengeance shall follow upon their posterity, till He have rooted out their memoriall from among men(4) 1460 Hay Alex. 1626.
He thocht to do or haue sum vengeance 1490 Irland Mir. I 40/28.
He takis na wengeauns for injure done to him, bot referris to God 1490 Irland Mir. I 120/19.
Now is tym of mercy and of grace, and that all wengeauns suld ces 1492 Myll Spect. 295/27.
Be the quhilkis thow may conseder … quhat vengeans cumis oft … to haif fleschelye daill with sic wemen as is nunnis that ar forbodyn in the law c1520-c1535 Nisbet John xviii 23 marg.
Wengens c1590 Fowler I 64/180.
So thair I saw what service he and servill death dois prowe And to what vengeance is he brought that is infect with lowe(5) c1520-c1535 Nisbet Rev. xv 1.
I saw ane vthir signe in heuen, gret and wondirful; vij angelis having vij the last vengeancis, for the ire of God is endit in thame 1514-6 St. A. Formulare I 270.
All the vengeancis that ever uas takin sen the uarld began for oppyn synnis(b) 1592 Cal. Sc. P. X 786.
For sume Englischmen haith delt with the outlais of Scotland to ryd on sume thair unfreindis and countrymen for particulaire venengesb. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 316.
Thy elderis banis ilk nycht rysis and rattillis: Apone thy cors vengeance, vengeance thay cry, Thou art the cause thay may not rest nor ly 1560 Rolland Seven S. 7910.
Tenefull tyger a vengeance on thé fall 1570 Sat. P. xxii 78.
A vengeance mot thé fall! 1584 Sempill in Sat. P. xlv 472.
What malisones are to him gevin, Cryand, ‘A wengance from the hewin Come doun on this deceatfull Lowrie!’