Middle English Dictionary Entry
venǧen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | venǧen v. Also venge, venchin, venie, veinge, weng(e, wengin & (errors) vengea, vnge; ppl. venging(e, etc. & veniing(e; p.ppl. venged(e, etc. & ivenged, vengedde, venget, vengit, veniid, (errors) venge, veniediede. |
| Etymology | OF vengier, venchier, AF venger, vencher, venjer, veinger. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
Note: Cp. avengen v.
1.
(a) To take vengeance, exact retribution; take vengeance (on sb., for sth.);
(b) refl. to avenge oneself, take one’s revenge; avenge oneself (on sb., for sth.);
(c) ben vengede, to be avenged, get revenge; be avenged (on sb., for sth.);
(d) to take vengeance for (a wrong, injury, death, etc.), seek revenge for, avenge; punish (a sin, wrongdoing, etc.);
(e) to take vengeance on behalf of (sb.), avenge; also, do justice to (sb.) [quot. a1382]; avenge (a side or position in a dispute) [quot. c1475];
(f) to carry out (vengeance), administer (hate, God’s wrath);
(g) to take vengeance upon (sb.); also, punish (sb.);
(h) to lay claim to (a kingdom, region), take control of.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Judith 16.20 : Þe lord…almyȝti shal vengyn in hem.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ps.98.8 : God þou mercyful were to þem, & veniyng [vr. veniende] in to alle þe fyndingis of þem.
- c1390 Cato(1) (Vrn)588 : For eueri werk wronglich wrouht God wol venge a-mong.
- c1400(?c1380) Cleanness (Nero A.10)201 : Never ȝet in no boke breved I herde Þat ever he…soȝt unsoundely to weng.
- c1425 Found.St.Barth.9/5 : He drawith from vice in-to vice…vp yn-to the hye towre of all wikkidnesse where, God vengynge, they falle downe in-to the lowest of the pytte.
- c1450(?a1400) Wars Alex.(Ashm 44)950 : Þou suld be victour & venge, & vencustis [Dub: venkest] neuire?
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)7333 : Achilles…Of þo kynges, þat were kild…Wold haue vengit of þe velany & þe vile harme.
b
- c1330(?a1300) Rich.(Auch)116/93 : Alle we schul ous venge fonde, Wiþ queyntise & wiþ strengþe of hond, Of þe freyns & of þe griffouns.
- (1357) Gaytr.LFCatech.(Yk-Borth R.I.11)90/486 : The third dedely syn…is wrath…Whare-thurgh a man wilnesse for to take wrake, Or wickedly to venge him opon his euen-cristen.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Judg.6.31 : Ȝif he is god, venge he hym self of hym.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2471 : Right as they han venged hem on me and doon me wrong, right so shal I venge [vr. wengyn] me vp on hem and doon hem wrong.
- ?a1400(a1338) Mannyng Chron.Pt.2 (Petyt 511)p.85 : Frendes fast he souht, to venge him on his fos.
- ?a1425(?a1350) Castleford Chron.Lear (Göt Hist 740)458 : It sall nevyr com þe daye Wenge me on swylke lesinges I may.
- c1450(c1440) Scrope Othea (StJ-C H.5)113/7 : Þe wiseman seith: ‘Whan þin enemyes may not venge þeim, than hast þou nede to be-ware.’
- a1450(1408) Vegetius(1) (Dc 291)49/20 : Teche him also how he schal scheten woodlich or fersliche, vengyng hym on his enemyes þat dolle ben and slowe.
- ?c1450 Brut-1419 (Hrl 24)21 : They counseillede hym…that he shulde…uenge [Rwl B.171: avenge] hym vppon the Emperour of the dispite that he had sende to hym suche a lettre.
- (a1464) Capgr.Chron.(Cmb Gg.4.12)17/27 : For þis and mech oþer þing, God was wroth with þese sinneres, and purposed for to venge him.
- ?c1475(?a1400) LChart.Chr.B (Cmb Ii.3.26)72/313 : Yf þou vengiste [vrr. wengyst, vengest] þe on thi brothir, Þou schalt stonde in that othir.
- a1500 ?Ros Belle Dame (Cmb Ff.1.6)343 : Loue is sotyle…And cane hyme venge of siche as, by deceyte, Wold fele and know his secrete gouernance.
c
- c1330 Roland & V.(Auch)855 : As ȝe beþ miȝt-ful helpeþ me, Þat ich miȝt y-venged me [read: be] Of þis cristen hounde.
- c1350 Apoc.(1) in LuSE (Hrl 874)p.86 : Þe werlde gladeþ whan þai seen werldelich þinges fallen from a gode Man þat was ywoned to chastise hem of her wickednesse & seien þat on to þat oþer nov we ben venged of þis papelard.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Jer.5.29 : Vp on such maner folc shal not ben veniyd my soule?
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2711 : Myn herte may neuere be in pees vn to the tyme it be venged [vr. vengit].
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)35/424 : Þe king…swor a grete ooth, Þat he shulde neuer be bliþ Til he were venged.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)5.1500 : Horrestes wil iupart his lif…to be venged on his fadris deth.
- ?a1425(?c1350) NHom.(3) Pass.(RwlPoet 175)194 : I wate with him yhow greues sare, And I wald þat yhe venged [vr. venge] ware.
- c1440(?a1400) Morte Arth.(1) (Thrn)298 : Of this grett velany I sall be vengede ones On ȝone venemus men.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)32/24 : Now I will forgiff, for now I am well vengid.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)42/229 : With watyr and with flood god vengyd wyll be.
- a1500(?c1400) EToulouse (Cmb Ff.2.38)138 : Mete nor drynke schulde do hym no gode Or he vengedde bee.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)2.221 : Many fals witnesse sellith Crist for…lesse & sumtyme for nout, only to schewyn malyce or to ben venchyd.
- a1500 Bevis (Chet 8009)71/1241 : I shall be vengid sone Of all the sorowe thou haste me done.
- a1475 *Sidrak & B.(Lnsd 793)535 : We þus haue ywroght And to oure countre ben ybroght And y-vengid of oure enemyes.
d
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)4 Kings 9.7 : Þou schalt smijten þe hous of Acab þi lord, þat I venge þe blood of my seruauntis prophetis.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2561 : Ye knowen also that youre richesses moten be dispended in diuerse parties, and whan that euery wight hath his part, they ne wollen take but litel reward to venge [vr. vnge] thy deeth.
- (c1390) Chaucer CT.Mel.(Manly-Rickert)B.2659 : That aperteneth and longeth al oonly to the iuges for they shul venge [vr. vengea] the vileynyes and iniuries.
- c1400 Apoc.(2) (Hrl 171)32/13 : Lord…how long iugist not, & vengist not oure blood on hem þat dwellen in þe erþe.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)2.1238 : Manhod bit make no delaye To venge a wrong.
- a1425(c1395) WBible(2) (Roy 1.C.8)Deut.32.43 : He schal venie [WB(1): wreek] the blood of hise seruauntis.
- ?a1425 Orch.Syon (Hrl 3432)114/32 : What peynes he suffreþ þat wil be vengid for wordly good, I schal telle þee.
- a1450(?1419-20) Topias (Dgb 41)100/894 : Þou seist at þe last þat charite is chacid To vengyn oure defautis & mende vs of oure mysse.
- c1450 Scrope Othea (Lngl 253)68 : Yf he hathe mysdone to any…he may be sekyr it shal notte be foryeten, but rather wenged.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) Ctn.(Hrl 2261)438 : Kynge Edward…movede of þe promisse broken by men off Fraunce, and how he myȝhte venge þat injury beste.
- a1500(c1340) Rolle Psalter (UC 64)29.5 : He vengid in ȝow the first syn with ded.
- a1500(?a1390) Mirk Fest.(GoughETop 4)44/18 : The thre oþer also deyden on spytues deþes, so þat…Thomas deth was thus venget.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)13035 : He vengit the velany & the vile grym Of the dethe…of his dere fader.
e
- a1375(1335-1361) WPal.(KC 13)5197 : I schal hastili me hiȝe…to venge þe verali for ouȝt þat bitideþ.
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Prov.31.9 : Deme þat is riȝtwis, and venge [L iudica] þe helpeles & þe pore.
- a1400(?a1350) Siege Troy(1) (Eg 2862)17/200 : Þe Children…Were men and venged her ffaders þere.
- c1425 Bible SNT(1) (Cmb Dd.12.39)Deeds 7.24 : Whanne þat he sawe one of hise kynne suffer grete wronge, he venged hym ande wreked hym þat wronge suffurde.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.248 : Þe pacient so schulde I vengen so Þat he scholde haue no mater to compleyne.
- c1450 Alph.Tales (Add 25719)364/6 : Þerfor venge me of hym þat made my husband head in a copp.
- c1475 Mankind (Folg V.a.354)501 : I know full well what Mankynde dyde to yow…I xall venge yowr quarell, I make Gode avow.
- a1500(?a1450) GRom.(Hrl 7333)29 : Do vs to knowe if þer be ony þat thretenith þe, For we ben redy to venge þe.
- c1540(?a1400) Destr.Troy (Htrn 388)2545 : Let other men…shunt vs of shame, shend of our foos, And venge vs of velany & of vile gremy.
f
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Jer.51.36 : I shal deme þi cause & venge þi veniynge.
- a1425 Templ.Dom.(Add 32578)578 : Wrathe þat wyrkes ofte tyme wo, Mars helpis hym to venge his hate.
- a1500(c1410) Dives & P.(Htrn 270)1.335 : Thy kyng…is Godis ministre to venchyn þe wretthe of God in hym þat doth omys.
g
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.23.30 : Eche man þat ouergoþ his bed…in þe stretis of þe cite shal ben vengid [WB(2): punyschid].
- (a1382) WBible(1) (Bod 959)Ecclus.39.36 : Alle þese to veniaunce ben formed: teeþ of bestis…& serpentis & twei bitinge swerd, veniynge in to outlawinge vnpitous men [L vindicans in exterminium impios].
- a1425 *Medulla (Stnh A.1.10)69b/b : Vlciscor: to veynge [Pep: Wenge et punire].
- a1425 Wycl.Serm.(Bod 788)1.56 : Ofte tymes oure mercy axiþ to venge and to punishe men.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.106 : The Scottes and Peightes he venged & ouercam.
h
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))1 Mac.15.3 : Y wole venge [WB(2): calenge; L vendicare] the rewme, and restore it as it was byfore.
- (c1384) WBible(1) (Dc 369(2))2 Mac.2.22 : Thei vengeden [L vindicarent] al the cuntree and dryuen an heithen multitude.
Supplemental Materials (draft)
- a1500(?1451) Petrarch Secret.(Add 60577)7/164 : Trowest yiff a man, wounded..with a swerde..wolde nott hooly purpose to be wroke or to be veniediede [read: veniede] of hys greuous stroke?
Note: New form (error) p.ppl. veniediede, added to form section; belongs to sense (c).