villainizev.
/ˈvɪlənʌɪz/ 1. transitive. To render villainous; to debase or degrade.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > degrading or debasement > degrade [verb (transitive)]
vile1297
supplanta1382
to bring lowa1387
revilea1393
gradea1400
villain1412
abject?a1439
to-gradea1440
vilifyc1450
villainy1483
disparage1496
degradea1500
deject?1521
disgraduate1528
disgress1528
regrade1534
base1538
diminute1575
lessen1579
to turn down1581
to pitch (a person) over the bar?1593
disesteem1594
degender1596
unnoble1598
disrank1599
reduce1599
couch1602
disthrone1603
displume1606
unplume1621
disnoble1622
disworth?1623
villainize1623
unglory1626
ungraduate1633
disennoble1645
vilicate1646
degraduate1649
bemean1651
deplume1651
lower1653
cheapen1654
dethrone1659
diminish1667
scoundrel1701
sink1706
demean1715
abjectate1731
unglorifya1740
unmagnify1747
undignify1768
to take the shine out of (less frequently from, U.S. off)1819
dishero1838
misdemean1843
downgrade1892
demote1919
objectify1973
1623 tr. A. Favyn Theater of Honour & Knight-hood iii. xii. 487 To blame or abuse Ladies..is..for a man to villanize and shame him~selfe.
1700 J. Dryden Chaucer's Wife of Bathe's Tale in Fables 494 Were Virtue by Descent, a noble Name Cou'd never villanize his Father's Fame.
1745 Bp. E. Law Consid. State World iii. 245 That those Writings which villanize Mankind have a pernicious tendency towards propagating and protecting Villany.
2. To treat or revile as a villain.Cf. villainizer n. at Derivatives below.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disapproval > invective or abuse > abuse [verb (transitive)]
vilea1300
rebutc1330
revilea1393
arunt1399
stainc1450
brawl1474
vituper1484
rebalk1501
to call (rarely to speak) (all) to naught1542
rattle1542
vituperate1542
bedaub1570
beray1576
bespurt1579
wring1581
misuse1583
caperclaw1589
abuse1592
rail1592
exagitate1593
to shoot atc1595
belabour1596
to scour one's mouth on1598
bespurtle1604
conviciate1604
scandala1616
delitigate1623
betongue1639
bespatter1644
rant1647
palt1648
opprobriatea1657
pelt1658
proscind1659
inveigh1670
clapperclaw1692
blackguard1767
philippize1804
drub1811
foul-mouth1822
bullyrag1823
target1837
barge1841
to light on ——1842
slang1844
villainize1857
slangwhang1880
slam-bang1888
vituperize1894
bad-mouth1941
slag1958
zing1962
to dump on (occasionally all over)1967
1857 F. Palgrave Hist. Normandy & Eng. II. 437 Here in Rouen had he been villainized, disgraced, hooted, imprisoned, bullied, degraded.
3. intransitive. To play the villain.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > villainy > [verb (intransitive)]
villainize1882
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [verb (intransitive)]
to devil it1593
devilize1647
villainize1882
1882 Echo 11 Feb. 3 Let us hope that..these gentlemen [sc. actors], whose mission it is to dabble in crime.., will in future ‘villainise’ no more.
Derivatives
ˈvillainizing n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > inferiority or baseness > [noun] > making
villainizing1678
society > morality > moral evil > moral or spiritual degeneration > degrading or impairing morally > [noun]
vitiating1647
villainizing1678
demoralization1797
1678 R. Cudworth True Intellect. Syst. Universe i. v. 890 The Foundation [of the atheistic ethics and politics] is first laid, in the villanizing of Humane Nature.
1692 R. Bentley Boyle Lect. i. 15 In the debasing and villanizing of Mankind to the condition of Beasts.
ˈvillainizer n. one who reviles or defames.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > disrepute > damage to reputation > slander or calumny > [noun] > one who slanders
missayer1340
slandererc1340
jurorc1380
third tonguea1382
defamerc1425
malignerc1425
disclanderer1447
praterc1500
evil-sayer1530
ill sayera1533
infamera1533
belier1541
sycophant1548
calumniatorc1550
disgracer1570
infamator1571
depraver1584
calumnier1586
libeller1589
infamizer1593
maldisant1598
oblocutor1603
traducer1603
villainizer1605
vilifier1611
calumner1614
scandallerc1620
scandalizer1632
blackmouth1642
deflowerer1645
famer1646
defamator1658
reflector1681
reflecter1686
asperser1702
bedirtera1742
libellist1794
mud-flinger1839
denigrator1875
mud-slinger1876
tar-brusher1884
libellant-
1605 E. Sandys Relation State of Relig. P iij b What renouncers of God, blasphemers of his onely begotten sonne, villanisers of his Saints.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1917; most recently modified version published online December 2020).
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