Middle English Dictionary Entry
venǧeaunce n.
Entry Info
| Forms | venǧeaunce n. Also veng(e)ance, vengeauns, venge(a)ns, vengaunce, vengauns(e, vengans(e, vengiaunce, vengiauns, venchaunce, venchance, venchanche, venchans, venȝ(ch)ance, veni(e)aunce, veniance, veniauns(e, venians, ven(i)jauns, veniounce, veniounse, veingeauns, (16th cent.) vengianse, venions & veng(e)ange, veniaunge, venyange & wengeaunce, wengeance, wengaunce, wengance, wengans(e, wenchanse, weniaunce, wenyauns & (?error) veynegance, (errors) vengeaun, veniauuce, veniaunace, venyanunce, vegaunce, veiaunce. |
| Etymology | OF venjance, vengance, vengence, venganche, venianche, AF vengeance, veng(e)aunce, vengange, venchance, venjaunce, veyngaunce; forms in -nge perh. influenced by ME venǧing(e ger. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) Retribution, punishment, revenge; the act of taking vengeance, the infliction of retributive injury; ~ of god; dai of ~;
(b) an act of vengeance; a punitive wound, plague, etc.;
(c) in curses;
(d) crien (asken) ~, crien after (for) ~, to request or demand revenge; haven ~, receive retribution; taken (don, nimen, yeven) ~, exact retribution, carry out revenge; in takinge ~; takinge (takere) of ~;
(e) haven ~, to receive satisfaction through vengeance, be avenged; yeven ~ of (vengeaunces to), avenge (sb.);
(f) in cpds.: ~ takinge (doinge), the exacting of retribution or revenge.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350(a1333) Shoreham Poems (Add 17376)94/248 : He þat spilleþ mannes lyf, Veniounse hyt schel a[c]wyte.
- (c1375) Chaucer CT.Mk.(Manly-Rickert)B.3932 : In vengeance he al his herte sette.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Luke 21.22 : Thes ben the dayes of veniaunce…for a greet tribulacioun schal be on erthe.
- (a1387) Trev.Higd.(StJ-C H.1)7.43 : Þis trespas schal not be i-clensed wiþ oute longe vengeaunce [vr. veyngeauns].
- (?1387) Wimbledon Serm.(Corp-C 357)87/419 : What vengeaunce [vr. vengange] falliþ of þis synne of coueytise y may se by figure in holy writ.
- (c1395) Chaucer CT.Sum.(Manly-Rickert)D.2004 : Ther nys ywis no serpent so cruel…As womman is whan she hath caught an ire, Vengeance [vr. Vengeans] is thanne al that they desire.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)778 : Ȝyf þou euere swore by oure lady yn any tyme fals or wykkedly…Vengaunce [vrr. wenyawns, veniounce] comþ for swych myssawe.
- a1400(c1303) Mannyng HS (Hrl 1701)2052 : Y pray alle men Þat þey kepe hem fro þys synne For þere ys moche veniauuce [read: veniaunce] þerynne.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1859 : Quen he his wengaunce [Göt: vengans; Arms: vengeaun] þus had wroght, Our lauerd þan on noe thoght.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)134/47 : Withdraw þi wenchanse þat is comyng.
- a1450 Castle Persev.(Folg V.a.354)3176 : Whoso…dothe any dedly synne…Rytfully þanne schal he wynne Crystis gret vengaunse.
- c1450(a1400) Lavynham Treat.7 Dead.Sins (Hrl 211)4/2 : Boldnesse is…dredyng neyþer veniownce here ne peyne in helle.
- c1450 Capgr.St.Kath.(Arun 396)prol.153 : He savgh þe vengavnce [vr. weniaunce] eke hovgh it was take On many a thovsende for hir dethes sake.
- c1460 Tree & Fruits HG (McC 132)47/15 : He for yivith hem fully and merciably, not dampnyng bi veniauns [vr. vengiauns].
- a1475 Godstow Reg.(Rwl B.408)43/17 : He…gaf goddys-curs to all aduersaries & by-nemers of thys gyft, & prayed veniaunce of god to falle to hem.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)39/137 : Alas þat ffor synne it xal be so be-tydde þat vengeauns of flood xal werke þis manase.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.183 : Whan gret þondyr fallyth in wyntertyme, it is…tokne of venȝance comyng.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.208 : Hard venȝchance þerfor schulde comyn to hem.
- a1500(a1460) Towneley Pl.(Hnt HM 1)72/264 : I pray god send us venyange sone, and on thi Warkis take wrake.
- a1500 GRom.(Glo 42)757/17 : Þe day of dome schall come, That is to say, Þe day of ire & wreche & of vengeaunce.
- a1500 Siege Jerus.(2) (Brog 2.1)72/56 : As þei wer at þer fest in pascha…þen fyl a stryfe, þat þay fyl and slove euyryche odyr wytt þer cnywys…by þe uenyjavns of God.
- a1500 Siege Jerus.(2) (Brog 2.1)90/607 : Her wenganse schall euyr laste for þey be…in bondauge.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)3502 : Why haste ye not heturly to haue hir agayne…Venions and vile dethe to voide fro þis Rewme.
b
- c1330 7 Sages(1) (Auch)85/1798 : Þries misdede þis womman bald, And þre vengaunces he hire ȝald.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)1 Kings 14.14 : Þe firste vengeaunce is don þe whiche smoit Jonathas & þe squyer of hym as of twenty thousend men in þe half partye of an akyr.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Judith 5.10 : Þei crieden to þer god & he smot al þe lond of egipt with dyuerse veniauncis.
- (?1387) Wimbledon Serm.(Corp-C 357)96/554 : In oo day shal come alle þe vengeaunces of here: deþ, wepynge, and hungre, and fier shal brenne hire.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2476 : O vengeance is nat warisshed by another vengeance, ne o wrong by another wrong.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1942 : Our lauerd drightin…said, ‘noe for nakin schaunce Sal i ta suilk a noiþer wengance [Göt: venganse].’
- a1400 Cursor (Göt Theol 107)2256 : Bot grete god…a curtais vengans on þaim gan send.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Apoc.15.1 : Y say another signe in heuene…seuene aungels hauynge seuene the laste veniauncis, for the wraththe of God is endid in hem.
- c1450(a1425) MOTest.(SeldSup 52)1742 : God send the faurt veniance for thye: grett fleand loppes ouer all the land.
- c1460 Dub.Abraham (Dub 432)251 : In batayle or oþer myschef þou myȝtest dye, Or ellis in anoþer vngoodely veniaunce.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)2.A.865 : I drede a gretter vengeaunce God woll deuyse.
- c1483(?a1450) OT in Caxton Gold.Leg.(Caxton)f.57rb : The third vengeange that god sente to them was a grete multitude of hongry horseflyes, as many as thuste of therthe, which were on men & bote them & beestis.
- a1500 Siege Jerus.(2) (Brog 2.1)71/33 : Aftur þe dethe of Cryst þer came monny wengans to þem.
c
- a1500(?a1425) Chester Pl.Antichr.(Pen 399)507/462 : Thowe list! Vengeance on the befall! Oute on the, wreche!
- 1591(?a1425) Chester Pl.(Hnt HM 2)236/163 : Must we afore the Pharasyes appeare? A vengeance on them, farre and neare!
d
- c1325(c1300) Glo.Chron.A (Clg A.11)8836 : Ȝif…eni richemon þe pouere vengance he nom stronge, & ne sparede noȝt ȝif he were wurþe to ben an honge.
- c1380 Firumb.(1) (Ashm 33)4071 : If y me thus turne in-to fraunce, Wyþ-oute takynge of vengeance, Hit is to me gret schame.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Thes.1.8 : To ȝou that ben trublid, reste with vs in the schewinge of oure Lord…ȝyuynge veniaunce to hem that knewen not God.
- c1390(?c1350) Jos.Arim.(Vrn)351 : Þou schalt ha vengaunce verreyliche and sone, þat al þi reume schal seo þat þou wrong siggest.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2199 : He baar a cruel ire redy to doon vengeaunce vp on his foos.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2625-6 : Right as a singuler persone synneth in takynge vengeance of another man right so synneth the iuge if he do no vengeance of hem that it han disserued.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.NP.(Manly-Rickert)B.4230 : With an hardy herte he gan to crye Vengeaunce [vr. vengiaunce] and iustice of this felonye.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)1661 : Bot ar i wil mi wengeaunce tak, I wil þat þou a wessel mak.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)6094 : Þair goddes i me on wil wrake, O þam mi wengeance [Arms: venieaunce; Frf: veniaunace] sal i take.
- a1400 Cursor (Frf 14)1130 : His blode on erþ hit shed hit ys, ofter veniaunce hit cryes.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.807 : Euery wyȝt ouȝte to compleyne Þat lytel gylte schulde haue swyche vengaunce.
- a1425 De Officio Militis (Ryl Eng 412)158 : Wrong oppresyng is oon of þe four synnes þat anon as þei ben don crien veniaunce to God.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)147/456 : Takis no venchans, þis Crist forebede.
- a1450(?1409) Vision Staunton (Roy 17.B.43)66 : Þei axen veniaunce on thoo yonder mysdoers.
- c1450(c1415) Roy.Serm.(Roy 18.B.23)320/16 : Oure Lord God toke veniaunge of all mankeend for þe transgrescion of oure forme fadur Adam.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)383/3 : I trow þat in þis life at vengeange sall be taken on þaim for þer males.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)84/17 : He…took venjauns on his enmies.
- c1470 Bible F.(Cleve-W q091.92-C468)52/10 : This vengens toke God on him for the gret vntrouth and martirdom that Herode did on the Innocentis.
- c1475(c1399) Mum & S.(1) (Cmb Ll.4.14)3.108 : Venyanunce [?read: Venyaunce] þey asked On all þat assentid to þat synffull dede.
- a1500(?c1378) Wycl.OPastor.(Ryl Eng 86)442 : Þe synne of sodom cryede to god for greet veniaunse.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.242 : Alle creaturys schul þan beryn witnesse aȝenys þe & askyn venchanche on þe.
- a1500(?c1425) Spec.Sacer.(Add 36791)176/20 : He is a greet taker of veniance and ful cruel to alle hem þat trespaseþ aȝeynst hym.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)p.423 : Oreste toke vengianse for his fader dethe.
e
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)17.51 : God, þat ȝeueþ to me uengeaunces and settest þe folk vnder me, be þou my delyuerer of myn enemys wraþful.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Gen.4.24 : Vengaunce schall be ȝeuen of Caym seuenfold.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)2 Kings 22.48 : Þe stronge god of my helþe…ȝifest vengeancis to me.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.226 : Þey mon nout han venchance of here aduersarijs as þey woldyn han.
f
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2222 : Al be it so that al tariyng be anoyful algates it is nat to repreue in yeuyng of iuggement ne in vengeance [vr. vegaunce] takyng whan it is suffisant and resonable.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2535 : In vengeance [vrr. veiaunce, veyne gance] takynge, in werre, in bataille…er thow bigynne I rede that thow apparaile thee ther to.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2682 : Ther be ful manye thynges that shul restreyne yow of vengeance [vr. vengannce] takynge.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)1.778 : Fortune wolde Schewen her myȝt and her cruelte In vengaunce takyng vp-on þis cite.
- c1475(c1450) Idley Instr.(Cmb Ee.4.37)1.232 : In vengeaunce takyng haue no haste.
- c1484(a1475) Caritate SSecr.(Tak 38)132/11 : He, meuyd withowte avysement, fulfyllyd hys angyr in dede as in smytyng or odyr vengauns doyng.
- a1500(1422) Yonge SSecr.(Rwl B.490)181/9 : The vertue of Temporaunce, namely in a Prynce, appartenyth to mekenesse in vengeaunce-takynge of the wrongis that byth y-do to hym-Selfe.
2.
(a) Vindictive anger or fury; also, vindictiveness;
(b) the right or power to take vengeance.
Associated quotations
a
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)6.1 : Lord, ne repruce me nouȝt in þy vengeaunce.
- (a1398) Trev.Barth.(Add 27944:Seymour)1136/5 : If þe oon [adder] is yslawe, þe other pursueþ him þat slew þat oþer wiþ so bisy wreche and vengeaunce þat passeþ þrowynge.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Ps.78.5 : Lord, hou longe schalt thou be wrooth…schal thi veniaunce be kyndelid as fier?
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)3403 : Wengeance in þis good lord hadde no stide.
- a1475(a1456) Shirley Death Jas.(Add 5467)10 : Sir Robert Grame stired a full cruell vengance ayene the Kyng, sent privie messages and letturs to certayne men and servantes of the Duke of Albayne, whome the Kyng a litill afore hade done rigorusly to deth.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)5/6 : Kepytt your veniauns to me, and I wyll qwyt you.
b
- c1350 MPPsalter (Add 17376)7.13 : Ȝyf ȝe be styred fram iuel, he shal shew hys vengeaunce.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))Heb.10.30 : To me veniaunce and I schal ȝelde.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2658 : Vengeance…aperteneth and longeth al oonly to the iuges.
- c1400 Bk.Mother (Bod 416)190/20 : We knowen þat God seiþ: ‘To me uenchaunce, and I shal ȝelde.’
- a1425(a1400) Paul.Epist.(Corp-C 32)Rom.12.19 : To me vengaunce I hafe reseruyd.
- (c1426) Audelay Poems (Dc 302)147/457 : Ȝour venians ȝe schul ȝif to me, Fore I wil elde vche mon after his mede.
- a1450(1412) Hoccl.RP (Hrl 4866)3114 : God seith…That vnto hym reserued is vengeaunce.
- a1500(a1450) Ashmole SSecr.(Ashm 396)42/29 : To Me the vengeaunce is, and Y shall rewarde.
3.
Evil, harm, destruction [not always distinguishable from sense 1.(a)]; also, a tribulation, an affliction [1st quot.].
Associated quotations
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Tob.2.13 : He sorewede not aȝen god þat þe veniaunce of blyndnesse cam to hym.
- (a1399) Libel Neville in Archaeol.1682 : Alisaundre Nero…distroieth þt lond be north & for his vengeaunce of him al þe lond shal be distruyed.
- a1400(a1325) Cursor (Vsp A.3)827 : Son bigan wenganz to kiþe.
- (1440) Capgr.St.Norb.(Hnt HM 55)3219 : Malice had made him a ful special gyde, To bringe in veniaunce.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)497/27 : By thy myschyff and thy vengeaunce thou haste destroyed that moste noble knyght.