Dictionaries of the Scots Language
Dictionars o the Scots Leid

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

Hide Quotations Hide Etymology

Abbreviations Cite this entry

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

Villanous, Velan(o)us, -ans, adj. (adv.). Also: villane(i)s, -aynis, -ans, -a(u)nce, vylans, welan(y)s, -ance, willan(ou)s, vilaynous, veillanous, vallanus. [ME and e.m.E. vyleynys, vylene (both Manning), vilanous (14th c.), vylayneus (?a1366), vyllayns (Caxton), vylans (1523), villanouse (1570), vealinous (1623), OF vilenneus, villains, -eins.]

A. adj. 1. Of an event, action, etc.: Vile, base, wicked, horrible; characterised by villainy; dishonourable.(a) 1375 Barb. xix 106.
Swa rycht worthi a knycht … Was put to sa welanys [C. felloune, H. villanous] a ded 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 173 (Ruddim.) (see (c) below).
Velanus 1594 Charteris Wall. Pref. 169.
Abhorrand the memory of sa veillanous ane tressoun(b) 1375 Barb. xix 106 (H) (see (a) above).
Villanous ?1438 Alex. i 2850.
Gaudifeir … hes him set in hard assay For his gude lordis saik, Betys. The deid all out to villanes is [F. est la mort trop vilaine] ?1438 Alex. ii 2639.
Villanes 1456 Hay I 116/16.
The quhilkis [supra the constable depute] quha ever strykis with wappin or othir villaynis manȝe 1456 Hay II 19/2.
[He] … to geve us eternale lyf, tuke dede … here, with grete dispising vilaynous 1456 Hay II 65/28.
Foule and vilaynous speche a1500 K. Hart 627.
Villaneis(c) 1494 Deidis of Armorie 32.
Quhen he wes opprest of his enemys he grevit thaim with villaunce diffame 1513 Doug. iv Prol. 173.
Quhat nedis avant ȝou of ȝour wykkytnes Ȝhe that beyn forcy alane in villans [Sm. villance, Ruddim. velanus] died? Quhy gloyr ȝe in ȝour awyn onthriftynes?

2. Of a person: Having the character of a villain, vile, evil, base, without honour.(a) c1420 Wynt. v 1721 (W).
This wickit wif and welance [R., C. Melans] c1420 Wynt. viii 2632 (W).
Inglismen, That hawtand and welans [R. dyspytwows, C. dispitousse] were c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iv 281.
Not for to say Venus is velanous(b) 1657 Balfour Ann. I 83.
Dumbar castle … was … randred … by … a basse and willanous wretche(c) a1714 Cromartie Corr. II 513.
He tacks it [sc. the castle] … killed many of the vallanus people who wer in it

B. adv. = Villanously adv. c1420 Wynt. vii 1796.
This Henry … bare hym vylans [pr. vylaus] [C. willans [pr. willaus], W. velans [pr. velaus]] and wnkynd Till Willame