villanous

English

Adjective

villanous (comparative more villanous, superlative most villanous)

1. Obsolete spelling of villainous.
   • 1601, Ben Jonson, Poetaster or The Arraignment: […], London: […] [R. Bradock] for M[atthew] L[ownes] […], published 1602, →OCLC, Act III:

     Tuc[ca]. […] Can thy Author doe it impudently enough? / Hiſt[rio]. O, I warrant you, Captaine: and ſpitefully inough too; he ha's one of the moſt ouerflowing villanous wits, in Rome. He will ſlander any man that breathes; If he diſguſt him. / Tucca. I'le know the poor, egregious, nitty Raſcall; and he haue ſuch commendable Qualities, I'le cheriſh him: […]

   • 1887, Julian Hawthorne, A Tragic Mystery: From the Diary of Inspector Byrnes, page 25:

     […] near it is a cluster of weapons of villanous aspect, comprising every thing from a Malayan creese to a sailor's jackknife or a Smith & Wesson revolver.

Anagrams

• O'Sullivan, alluvions