English Dictionary

Definition of “vile

vile (vaɪlPronunciation for vile

Definitions

adjective

  1. abominably wicked; shameful or evil  ⇒ the vile development of slavery appalled them 
  2. morally despicable; ignoble  ⇒ vile accusations 
  3. disgusting to the senses or emotions; foul  ⇒ a vile smell vile epithets 
  4. tending to humiliate or degrade  ⇒ only slaves would perform such vile tasks 
  5. unpleasant or bad  ⇒ vile weather 
  6. paltry  ⇒ a vile reward 

Alternative Forms

ˈvilely adverb ˈvileness noun

Word Origin

C13: from Old French vil,  from Latin vīlis cheap

Translations

  • British English: vile Pronunciation for vile If you say that someone or something is vile, you mean that they are extremely unpleasant.The weather was vile.vaɪl ADJECTIVE The weather was vile.
  • Spanish: vil Pronunciation for vil adj
  • French: infect Pronunciation for infect adj
  • German: abscheulich Pronunciation for abscheulich adj
  • Chinese: 极坏的Pronunciation for 极坏的 adj
  • Arabic: وَضِيعPronunciation for وَضِيع adj
  • Portuguese: desprezívelPronunciation for desprezível adj
  • Russian: подлыйPronunciation for подлый adj подлая
  • Croatian: podaoPronunciation for podao adj podla
  • Czech: hanebnýPronunciation for hanebný adj
  • Danish: afskyeligPronunciation for afskyelig adj
  • Dutch: walgelijkPronunciation for walgelijk adj
  • Finnish: pahaPronunciation for paha adj
  • Greek: πρόστυχοςPronunciation for πρόστυχος adj πρόστυχη
  • Italian: disgustosoPronunciation for disgustoso adj disgustosa
  • Japanese: 堕落したPronunciation for 堕落した no_posp
  • Korean: 비열한Pronunciation for 비열한 adj
  • Norwegian: sjofelPronunciation for sjofel adj
  • Polish: nikczemnyPronunciation for nikczemny adj nikczemna
  • Brazilian Portuguese: desprezívelPronunciation for desprezível adj
  • European Spanish: vil Pronunciation for vil adj
  • Swedish: avskyvärdPronunciation for avskyvärd adj avskyvärt
  • Thai: ชั่วร้ายPronunciation for ชั่วร้าย adj
  • Turkish: kokuşmuşPronunciation for kokuşmuş adj
  • Vietnamese: ghê tởmPronunciation for ghê tởm adj

Usage examples

  • Giles Rakewell -- and any of the vile ruffians who support him -- will soon suffer the terrible wrath of the state.
    Fidelis Morgan, THE RIVAL QUEENS: A Countess Ashby de la Zouche Mystery (2002)
  • Verona, for example, is a desperately Catholic place, where people stick up posters everywhere saying'blasphemy is cowardly and vile '.
    Spiked (2002)
  • And that work includes rape, murder, extortion and other vile aspects of contemporary society.
    Toronto Sun (2003)
  • The fiend put vile pictures on the web -- which were spotted in Maryland by Special Agent Mike Du Bois.
    Sun, News of the World (2000)
  • A bank of smoke, thick and vile smelling, rolled across the stream.
    Cornwell, Bernard, Sharpe's Waterloo (1991)

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