† felonousadj.
Obsolete.
Of the nature of a felon; like a felon.
1. Wicked, evil, mischievous.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > [adjective]
woughc888
litherc893
frakeda900
sinnyc950
unrighteouseOE
baleOE
manOE
unfeleOE
ungoodc1000
unwrasta1122
illc1175
nithec1175
wickc1175
hinderfulc1200
quedec1275
wickedc1275
wondlichc1275
unkindc1325
badc1330
divers1340
wrakefula1350
felonousc1374
flagitiousc1384
lewdc1386
noughta1387
ungoodly1390
unquertc1390
diverse1393
felona1400
imperfectc1400
unfairc1400
unfinec1400
unblesseda1425
meschant?c1450
naughtyc1460
feculent1471
sinister1474
noughty?1490
ill-deedya1500
pernicious?1533
scelerous1534
naught1536
goodlyc1560
nefarious1567
iron1574
felly1583
paganish1587
improbate1596
malefactious1607
villain1607
infand1608
scelestious1609
illful1613
scelestic1628
inimicitious1641
infandous1645
iniquous1655
improbous1657
malefactory1667
perta1704
iniquitous1726
unracy1782
unredeemed1799
demoralized1800
fetid1805
scarlet1820
gammy1832
nefast1849
disvaluable1942
badass1955
bad-assed1962
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [adjective]
litherc893
unledeeOE
evil971
missOE
murkOE
unrighteousOE
unseelyOE
un-i-seliOE
unselec1050
wickc1175
foul-itowenc1225
unwrast?c1225
un-i-felec1275
wickedc1275
wrakefula1350
felonousc1374
unquertc1390
unperfect1395
felona1400
wanc1440
meschant?c1450
sinnyc1475
unselc1480
poison?1527
pernicious?1533
scelerous1534
viperous?1548
improbate1596
scelestious1609
scelestic1628
spider-like1655
dark-hearted1656
demonic1796
nineteda1798
sinful1863
c1374 G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. i. iv. 18 Swiche þinges as euery felonous man haþ conceyued in hys þouȝt aȝeins innocent.
c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (1839) vi. 65 Thei ben right felonouse & foule.
1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende 367/1 A ryght felonnous deuylle.
1533–4 Act 25 Hen. VIII c. 3 §1 Felony and felonous stealynge of the same goodes.
1591 E. Spenser Virgil's Gnat in Complaints sig. I2 He spide his foe with felonous intent.
1594 W. Shakespeare Henry VI, Pt. 2 iii. i. 129 A murtherer or foule felonous theefe.
2. Fierce, cruel, violent. Also, bold, sturdy.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > savagery > [adjective]
grimlyc893
retheeOE
grim971
bitterOE
bremec1175
grillc1175
grimfula1240
cruel1297
sturdy1297
fiercea1300
fellc1300
boistousa1387
felonousc1386
savagea1393
bestiala1398
bremelya1400
felona1400
hetera1400
cursedc1400
wicked14..
vengeablec1430
wolvishc1430
unnatural?1473
inhuman1481
brutisha1513
cruent1524
felonish1530
mannish1530
abominate1531
lionish1549
boarish?1550
truculent?c1550
unhumanc1550
lion-like1556
beastly1558
orped1567
raw?1573
tigerish?1573
unmanlike1579
boisterous1581
savaged1583
tiger-like1587
yond1590
truculental1593
savage wild1595
tigerous1597
inhumane1598
Neronian1598
immane1599
Phalarical1602
ungentle1603
feral1604
savagious1605
fierceful1607
Dionysian1608
wolvy1611
Hunnish1625
lionly1631
tigerly1633
savage-hearted1639
brutal1641
feroce1641
ferocious1646
asperous1650
ferousa1652
wolfish1674
tiger1763
savage-fierce1770
Tartar1809
Tartarly1821
Neroic1851
tigery1859
Neronic1864
unmannish1867
inhumanitarian1947
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > fierceness > [adjective]
grimlyc893
wrothc893
reighOE
grima1000
grillc1175
witherc1175
grimfula1240
sturdy1297
wild1297
fiercea1300
man-keenc1300
stoutc1300
cruelc1330
fell?c1335
wicked1375
felonousc1386
felona1400
cursedc1400
runishc1400
keen?c1425
roid?c1425
wolvishc1430
ranishc1450
malicious1485
mankind1519
mannish1530
lionish1549
truculent?c1550
lion-like1556
tigerish?1573
tiger-like1587
truculental1593
Amazonian1595
tigerous1597
feral1604
fierceful1607
efferous1614
lionly1631
tigerly1633
feroce1641
ferocious1646
asperous1650
ferousa1652
blusterous1663
wolfish1674
boarisha1718
savage-fierce1770
Tartar1809
Tartarly1821
wolfy1828
savagerous1832
hawkish1841
tigery1859
attern1868
Hunnish1915
the mind > emotion > courage > bravery or boldness > sturdiness > [adjective]
fellc1300
felonousc1386
felon1487
c1386 G. Chaucer Parson's Tale ⁋364 Whan that meinie is felonous and damageous to the peple by hardinesse of high lordeship.
c1400 Mandeville's Trav. (1839) xxviii. 291 He is a full felonous Best.
1477 W. Caxton tr. R. Le Fèvre Hist. Jason (1913) 30 ‘Ha a tyrant felonnous & oultrecuydaunt’ ansuerde..Iason.
1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. ccclxxxiv. 648 He..answered them with a felonous regarde.
1596 E. Spenser Second Pt. Faerie Queene iv. x. sig. K2v He..Bit his lip for felonous despight. View more context for this quotation
3. Thievish. rare.Apparently only attested in dictionaries or glossaries.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > possession > taking > stealing or theft > [adjective] > stealing or inclined to
bribering?1529
picking1535
thievish1538
prigging1567
felonous1570
thieving1598
Hungarian1608
theftuous1632
felonious1637
predacious1665
furacious1676
priggish1699
furtive1816
kleptic1865
society > law > rule of law > lawlessness > [adjective] > types of crime generally > felony
felonous1570
felonious1637
1570 P. Levens Manipulus Vocabulorum sig. Siiiv/1 Felonouse, furax.
Derivatives
ˈfelonously adv.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > [adverb]
noughtlyeOE
wrothec888
unrighteouslyeOE
foullyOE
naughtlyOE
wrothlyc1200
litherlya1225
unwraste?c1225
illc1275
vilelyc1290
shrewdly13..
felonly1303
unwrastlyc1320
viciouslya1325
diverselyc1325
wickly1338
lewdlyc1384
badlyc1405
foula1425
mischievouslyc1426
felonously1436
felonmentc1470
wickedfullyc1480
villainously1484
meschantlya1492
sinisterly1491
noughtily1528
naughtily?1529
perniciously1533
illy1549
naught1549
bad1575
evilly1581
nefariously1599
scelerately1632
improbously1657
piggishly1756
iniquitously1796
pervertedly1804
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [adverb]
wrothec888
litherlyc1050
foulOE
sinfullyc1175
quedelya1250
amissc1275
shrewdly13..
felonly1303
wickedly1303
wickc1330
wickly1338
lewdlyc1384
wickeda1400
mischievouslyc1426
felonously1436
felonmentc1470
wickedfullyc1480
villainously1484
meschantlya1492
sinisterly1491
naughtily?1529
perniciously1533
naughtly1575
unsela1583
nefariously1599
scelerately1632
improbously1657
queerly1699
society > law > rule of law > lawlessness > [adverb] > with reference to crime > feloniously
felonously1436
felonmentc1470
feloniously1495
1436 Rolls Parl. IV. 498 Þe said William felonousely and flesshly knewe and ravysshed þe said Isabell.
1525 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles II. xciiii. [xc.] 281 They sayd it was falsely and felonously done.
1532–3 Act 24 Hen. VIII c. 5 If any euyl disposed person..do attempt felonouslye to robbe..any person.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1895; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
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adj.c1374