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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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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.

Vilipend, v. Also: wilipend, vilepend, vylepend, villipend, willepend, weliepend, (vilppend). [e.m.E. vilipend(e (c1470), vylypend(e (Caxton), vylepende (a1529), F. vilipender, L. vīlipendere.] tr. a. To express contempt by an action, attitude, state, etc.; esp. to show contempt or disregard for the law, authority or anything legally binding; to treat slightingly. Also absol. b. To feel contempt for, despise (a person or thing) because of an action, attitude, etc. on the part of the person despised; also passive, to be treated with contempt in this way; to be brought into disrepute.a. a1500 Henr. Fab. 1455.
Ouer malapart and eik presumpteous Thow wes to mak out ouer me thy tripping … For thy trespas thow can mak na defence My nobill persoun thus to vilipend 1535 Stewart 6975.
Caratac … Quhilk vilipendis thy power throw his pryde 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3876 (Ch.).
Becaus of the great pluralitie Of ignorant preists … Quhair throch of teicheouris the heich dignitie Is vilipendit 1564 Reg. Privy C. I 302.
Speking … dispitfull and injurious wordis to the said James, manifestlie contempnand and vilipendand him being baillie and magistrate to quhome he aucht honour 1569 Reg. Privy C. II 14.
Quhairthrow nocht onelie is the decreit of ane ordinar juge … stoppit in executioun thairof, and our said soverane lord … mokkit and vilipendit [etc.] 1569 Reg. Privy C. II 29.
Nather regardand our said soverane lordis authoritie … bot lychtleand and vilipendand thairthrow the samyn 1593 Elgin Rec. II 34.
Sick persones … maist contempnandlie vilipending and transgressing the guid actis 1595 Haddington B. Rec. (Robb) 7 Jan.
Gif it be ane magistrate that is disobeyit, injureit, vilipendit, or contempnit ilk personis doar thairof sall pay ten libs. 1605 Dundee Chart. 171.
The said Johne … abused & vilipendit the said George Ramesay, bailie, be lifting of his leg skornefullie & flinging at the said George 1624 Linlithgow B. Rec. 24 Dec.
The wrong done be William Huntar and his wyff in hir going to Edenburgh without leiff and comeing bak againe without ane testimoniall … sua vilipendit … the ordinance of the burgh 1636 Bk. Dunvegan 183.
[An agreement by Donald McCloid and Sir I. MacDowgall by way of friendly borrowing for £420] … And in cais it sal happin me or my foirsaidis to wilipend breek or contemne the obligementis above specefeit [etc.] 1685 Fountainhall Decis. I 357.
The simple apothecaries … having applied to the town council to name a visiter to their trade … they … ordaining a chirurgeon-apothecary to be likewise present at the visiting the apothecaries drugs … they named two visitors … Upon this the apothecaries gave in a petition to the Lords complaining that the town of Edinburgh had vilipended and contemned their authority(b) 1564 St. A. Kirk S. 198.
Refusand … to submit hym to disciplyn … As also sen syn he hes nocht feared oppynly to impugne & vilepend the ordor most godly 1584 Aberd. Sheriff Ct. I 319.
Sic is thair insolencie … that sumtymes thai haif vilependit and lichtleit our avin utheris letters 1670 Boyd Fam. P. 9 June.
The said Thomas Boyd our rebell … oppinly repaires to kirk, mercat [etc.] … lightleand and vilependand therthrow us our authoritie and lawes(c) c1632 Aberd. Trades 223.
Whatsomever frieman hereof that slanders and villipendes the actis and ordinances … and disobeys the same 1666 Cromartie Corr. I 16.
Ther is debt contracted be him … projects brok and willepended(d) 1646 Spalding II 498.
Vilppenditabsol. 1600-1610 Melvill 69.
I begin to deall with him in words; he disdeanes and vilipends with misbehaviour in words and countenanceb. 1501 Doug. Pal. Hon. 1273.
Eik gif I wald this auisioun indite Ianglaris suld it bakbite … Cry [etc.] … I repute better thus to mak ane end, Than ocht to say that suld heiraris engrief; On vther side thocht thay me vilipend 1533 Bell. Livy I 80/1.
Vylepend 1570 Sempill in Sat. P. xii 148.
Steill ȝe away, the wyfis will vilipend ȝow, And, gif ȝe byde, the burrowis will commend ȝow 1584 Sempill in Sat. P. xlv Pref. 131.
Now, paper, pas; … Curious poyetis, I knawe, will vilipend thé, Saying, thou fares but of ane saucie lowne 1611-57 Mure Dido & Æneas ii 592.
What offence in me, Thus maks the loath and vilipend my love?(b) a1578 Pitsc. I 54/7.
The bischope … led upoun [him] [sc. the earl] ane sentance of curssing for his contemptioun of the censouris of hallie kirk quhilkis the earle heiglie weliependit as ane thing of no strength witht out dreadourpassive 1531 Bell. Boece I 11.
Thocht thay war of oncouth blude thay suld nocht be vilependit 1567 Reg. Privy C. I 521.
Quhairas … King Henrie … being … murtherit, the fame thairof wes … blawin abrede and dispersit in all realmis … that this cuntre wes abhorrit and vilipendit, the nobilitie and haill people na uther wayis estemit bot as thai had bene all participant 1558-66 Knox I 38.
His discourse of curssing was … that it should nott be used rashlie, … But now, … the avarice of preastis, and the ignorance of thair office, has caused it altogitther to be vilipended 1580 Skeyne Descr. Well Sig. A 4.
Quhair by the said watter be the abusaris thairof is rather vilipendit not commendit