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villain |
4 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Villain \Vil"lain\, a. [F. vilain.] Villainous. [R.] --Shak. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Villain \Vil"lain\, v. t. To debase; to degrade. [Obs.] --Sir T. More From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Villain \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. Note: Villains were of two sorts; villains regardant, that is annexed to the manor (LL. adscripti gleb[ae]); 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. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: villain n 1: a wicked or evil person [syn: {scoundrel}] 2: the principle bad character in a work of fiction
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