Category:Villain

Vil"lain, n. Etym: [oe. vilein, f. vilain, ll. villanus, from villa a Village, l. villa a farm. See villa.]

1. (feudal law)

Defn: 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.

Note: 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.

Villain Vil"lain, a. Etym: [f. vilain.]

Defn: villainous. [r.] Shak.

Villain Vil"lain, v. t.

Defn: to debase; to degrade. [obs.] Sir t. More.