villain

villain
   This was Originally the same word as ‘villein’, referring to a serf who was attached to a villa, or estate. Such serfs were low-born and of rather primitive habits, and some were naturally disposed to base or criminal behaviour. The latter became the ‘villains’, or scoundrels and criminals of today.
   As a term of address to such persons, ‘villain’ has been in continuous use since the fourteenth century. From the sixteenth century it has also been used more playfully. In such cases it is often softened by the use of other words, so that the vocative becomes ‘you little villain’, ‘you young villain’.
   Shakespeare has many examples of ‘Villain’ used as a serious accusation, but there is also, in The Winter’s Tale, ‘Sweet villain! Most dear’st! my collop!’ used by Leontes to his page. ‘Sweet villain’ also occurs in Prospero’s letter to Lorenzo in Jonson’s Every Man in his Humour. In Tom Jones, by Henry Fielding, Mrs Partridge calls her husband ‘Villain’. In The Pickwick Papers Winkle is ‘villain’ according to Mr Pott, editor of the Eatanswill Gazette. Other Dickensian characters no doubt make use of the term, but it is now more rarely used as a vocative. In police circles in Britain it is used to refer to criminals in the third person, but policemen do not usually say: ‘You’re under arrest, you villain’.
   The playful use of the term of address continues, influenced by the theatrical use of ‘villain’ to describe the anti-hero of a play. Serious use of the term may also be possible. D.H. Lawrence, in Aaron’s Rod, has: ‘“You villain,” she said, and her face was transfigured with passion as he had never seen it before, horrible. “You villain!” she said thickly’. This is a wife addressing the husband who has left her, but has briefly returned.

A dictionary of epithets and terms of address . . 2015.

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  • Villain — ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Erwin Villain (1898–1934), deutscher Arzt und SA Führer Raoul Villain (1885–1936), französischer Nationalist Marcel Brun, Pseudonym Jean Villain (1928–2006), Journalist und Schriftsteller Jean Villain… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Villain — Vil lain, n. [OE. vilein, F. vilain, LL. villanus, from villa a village, L. villa a farm. See {Villa}.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Feudal Law) One who holds lands by a base, or servile, tenure, or in villenage; a feudal tenant of the lowest class, a… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • villain — c.1300, base or low born rustic, from Anglo Fr. and O.Fr. villain, from M.L. villanus farmhand, from L. villa country house (see VILLA (Cf. villa)). The most important phases of the sense development of this word may be summed up as follows:… …   Etymology dictionary

  • villain — villain, scoundrel, blackguard, knave, rascal, rogue, scamp, rapscallion, miscreant can all denote a low, mean, and reprehensible person utterly lacking in principles. Villain describes one utterly given to crime, evil, and baseness {are not made …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • villain — villain, villein The two spellings are forms of a single word with two branches, originally meaning either ‘a low born rustic’ or ‘a serf in the feudal system’ and derived from the Latin word villa meaning ‘country house or farm’. The spelling… …   Modern English usage

  • Villain — Vil lain, a. [F. vilain.] Villainous. [R.] Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Villain — Vil lain, v. t. To debase; to degrade. [Obs.] Sir T. More. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • villain — index convict, criminal, hoodlum, malefactor, wrongdoer Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • villain — [n] evil person antihero, blackguard*, brute, caitiff, creep*, criminal, devil, enfant terrible*, evildoer, heel, libertine, lowlife*, malefactor, mischief maker*, miscreant, offender, profligate, rapscallion, rascal, reprobate, scoundrel, sinner …   New thesaurus

  • villain — ► NOUN 1) a person who is guilty or capable of a crime or wickedness; a wrongdoer. 2) a character in a novel or play whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot. DERIVATIVES villainous adjective villainy noun. ORIGIN originally in the …   English terms dictionary

  • villain — [vil′ən] n. [ME vilein < OFr vilain < VL villanus, a farm servant < L villa, a farm: see VILLA] 1. a person guilty of or likely to commit great crimes; evil or wicked person; scoundrel 2. a wicked or unprincipled character in a novel,… …   English World dictionary

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