† avilev.
Obsolete.
1. transitive. To make vile, defile, dishonour, debase.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > ignobleness or baseness > make base or ignoble [verb (transitive)]
avile1297
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > baseness > [verb (transitive)]
avile1297
1297 R. Gloucester's Chron. 495 The bissopes..amansede all the, That avilede holi chirche.
c1400 (?c1380) Cleanness (1920) l. 1151 He þe vesselles avyled þat vayled in þe temple.
a1670 J. Hacket Scrinia Reserata (1693) Pinch it into an epitome, you mangle the meaning and avile the eloquence.
2. To humble, degrade, abase.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > humility > humiliation > humiliate [verb (transitive)]
anitherOE
fellOE
lowc1175
to lay lowc1225
to set adownc1275
snuba1340
meekc1350
depose1377
aneantizea1382
to bring lowa1387
declinea1400
meekenc1400
to pull downc1425
avalec1430
to-gradea1440
to put downc1440
humble1484
alow1494
deject?1521
depress1526
plucka1529
to cut (rarely to cast down) the comb of?1533
to bring down1535
to bring basec1540
adbass1548
diminish1560
afflict1561
to take down1562
to throw down1567
debase1569
embase1571
diminute1575
to put (also thrust) a person's nose out of jointc1576
exinanite1577
to take (a person) a peg lower1589
to take (a person) down a peg (or two)1589
disbasea1592
to take (a person) down a buttonhole (or two)1592
comb-cut1593
unpuff1598
atterr1605
dismount1608
annihilate1610
crest-fall1611
demit1611
pulla1616
avilea1617
to put a scorn on, upon1633
mortify1639
dimit1658
to put a person's pipe out1720
to let down1747
to set down1753
humiliate1757
to draw (a person's) eyeteeth1789
start1821
squabash1822
to wipe a person's eye1823
to crop the feathers of1827
embarrass1839
to knock (also take, etc.) (a person) off his or her perch1864
to sit upon ——1864
squelch1864
to cut out of all feather1865
to sit on ——1868
to turn down1870
to score off1882
to do (a person) in the eye1891
puncture1908
to put (a person) in (also into) his, her place1908
to cut down to size1927
flatten1932
to slap (a person) down1938
punk1963
a1617 S. Hieron Wks. (1634) II. 65 Dauid was exceedingly auiled and cast downe in himselfe.
1632 R. Sanderson 12 Serm. 304 To exalt the papacy..and to avile the secular powers.
3. To hold cheap or in small esteem, to depreciate.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > hold in contempt [verb (transitive)]
forhowc900
overhowOE
withhuheOE
forhecchec1230
scorna1275
despise1297
spise13..
to set at a pease, at a pie's heel, at a pin's fee1303
to hold, have scorn at, ofc1320
to think scorn ofc1320
to set short by1377
to tell short of1377
to set naught or nought (nothing, not anything) by1390
spitea1400
contemnc1425
nought1440
overlooka1450
mainprizec1450
lightly1451
vilipendc1470
indeign1483
misprize1483
dain?1518
to look down on (also upon)1539
floccipend1548
contempta1555
to take scorn ata1566
embase1577
sdeign1590
disesteem1594
vilify1599
to set lightly, coldly1604
disrepute1611
to hold cheapa1616
avile1616
floccify1623
meprize1633
to think (also believe, etc.) meanly of1642
publican1648
naucify1653
disesteem1659
invalue1673
to set light, at light1718
sneeze1806
sniff1837
derry1896
to hold no brief for1918
1616 B. Jonson Speeches at Prince Henries Barriers 116 in Wks. I Want makes vs know the price of what we auile.
1656 J. Trapp Comm. Acts xxv. 19 These cocks..know not the price of that pearl, and do therefore avile it.
4. To speak contemptuously of; to vilify.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > disparagement or depreciation > disparage or depreciate [verb (transitive)]
littleeOE
low1340
dispraisec1386
minish1402
deroge1427
detractc1449
descryc1450
detrayc1475
dismerit1484
decline1509
vilipend1509
disprize?1518
disable1528
derogatea1530
elevate1541
disparagea1556
detrect1563
debase1565
demerit1576
vilify1586
disgrace1589
detracta1592
besparage1592
enervate1593
obtrect1595
extenuate1601
disvalue1605
disparagon1610
undervalue1611
avile1615
debaucha1616
to cry down1616
debate1622
decry1641
atomize1645
underrate1646
naucify1653
dedignify1654
stuprate1655
de-ample1657
dismagn1657
slur1660
voguec1661
depreciate1666
to run down1671
baffle1674
lacken1674
sneer1706
diminish1712
substract1728
down1780
belittle1789
carbonify1792
to speak scorn of1861
to give one a back-cap1903
minoritize1947
mauvais langue1952
rubbish1953
down-talk1959
marginalize1970
marginate1970
trash1975
neg1987
1615 T. Adams Lycanthropy 13 in Blacke Devill So easie is it to auile, and reuile, so hard to conuince.
a1617 S. Hieron Wks. (1634) II. 435 To curse him, that is, either to reuile him or to auile him.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1885; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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