vigiln.1
/ˈvɪdʒ(ᵻ)l/, U.S. /ˈvɪdʒᵻl/ 1. figurative and in extended use.a1533 Ld. Berners tr. A. de Guevara Golden Bk. M. Aurelius (1546) sig. Ff.iv The calme seson moste sure, is the vigile of the more vnfortune.1637 T. Jackson Wks. (1844) VI. 188 The very time itself..being the vigils of that great anniversary, November 5.1796 E. Burke Two Lett. Peace Regicide Directory France i. 56 This manifesto..is dated..on the vigil of the festive day of cordial unanimity so happily celebrated by all parties in the British Parliament.in extended use.1390 J. Gower Confessio Amantis II. 110 Ek to thee, Diane, I preie,..With al myn herte I wolde serve Be nyhte, and thi vigile observe.
a. Christian Church. The eve of (i.e. preceding) a festival or holy day, as an occasion of devotional watching or religious observance.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > worship > sacrament > (extreme) unction > vigil > [noun] > of festival
vigila1250
vigily1377
wake1600
a1250 (?a1200) Ancrene Riwle (Nero) (1952) 188 Ȝe schulen eten..eueriche deie twie. bute uridawes and umbridawes and ȝoingdawes. and uigiles [?c1225 Cleo. vigilies].
1393 W. Langland Piers Plowman C. x. 232 Eche halyday to huyre hollyche þe seruice, Vigiles and fastyngdayes forthere~more to knowe.
1417 in F. J. Furnivall Fifty Earliest Eng. Wills (1882) 28 Þe date of þis my testament..on Setrysday in þe vygyle of þe Holy Trynyte.
1470–85 T. Malory Morte d'Arthur xiii. i. 612 The vygyl of Pentecost whan alle the felauship of the round table were comen vnto Camelot.
?a1475 (?a1425) tr. R. Higden Polychron. (Harl. 2261) (1879) VII. 91 Whiche takynge hym in the vigille of Ester, ȝafe choyce to hym [etc.].
1523 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles I. ccxiii. 108 b/1 And ye next mornyng, ye whiche was in the vigill of saynt Symonde and Iude, the Frenche kynge departed out of Calais.
1555 R. Eden tr. Peter Martyr of Angleria Decades of Newe Worlde i. iii. f. 11 The thyrde day before the calendes of Aprell: which was that yeare the vigile of the Resurrection of owre Lorde.
1600 W. Shakespeare Henry V iv. iii. 45 He that outliues this day..shall yearely on the vygill feast his friends, And say, to morrow is S. Cryspines.
1649 Bp. J. Taylor Great Exemplar iii. xiv. 43 The dayes from henceforward to the death of Jesus we must reckon to be like the Vigils or Eves of his Passion.
1704 R. Nelson Compan. Festivals & Fasts ii. ix. 461 If any of these Feasts fall upon a Munday then the Vigil or Fast-Day, shall be kept upon the Saturday.
1808 W. Scott Marmion i. xxii. 43 Since on the vigil of St Bede, In evil hour, he crossed the Tweed.
1834 K. H. Digby Mores Catholici V. viii. 233 By the rules of fraternities of workmen, playing cards on the vigil of Christmas subjected offenders to be banished from the society.
1884 W. E. Addis & T. Arnold Catholic Dict. 843 He even contends that the law of fasting binds on the vigil of the Epiphany.
b. A devotional watching, esp. the watch kept on the eve of a festival or holy day; a nocturnal service or devotional exercise. Chiefly in plural.
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > worship > sacrament > (extreme) unction > vigil > [noun]
watch971
wakingc1175
wakec1200
vigil?1504
pernoctation1633
setting-up1835
14.. Chaucer's Prol. 377 (Lansd.) It is ful faire to be cleped ma dame And gone to vigiles al to-fore.
c1484 Early Eng. Misc. (Warton Club) 24 When thy concianse wold the have mad chastessed, With wygellus, fastynge or with allmysdede.
?1504 M. Beaufort tr. Thomas à Kempis Ful Treat. Imytacyon Cryste (Pynson) iv. vii. 269 Wepe and haue sorowe that thou art yet..so slepy to holy vygylys.
1552 R. Huloet Abcedarium Anglico Latinum (at cited word) Vigill, or saynctes euen beynge fasted, peruigilium.
1591 G. Fletcher Of Russe Common Wealth xxv. f. 105v They haue also 3. Vigils, or Wakes in their great Lent..& the last Friday their great Vigil, as they cal it.
?1606 M. Drayton Ode ii, in Poemes sig. B3 Thy auncient vigils yearely that haue obserued cleerely thy feasts yet smoking be.
1649 Bp. J. Taylor Great Exemplar iii. 54 There are some things..voluntary, such as are..prostration, long prayers, vigils.
a1681 G. Wharton Fasts & Festivals in Wks. (1683) 31 At length the Vigils themselves were inhibited; and these Fasts..instituted in their stead.
1781 E. Gibbon Decline & Fall (1787) III. xxvii. 34 As the patience of the multitude might have been exhausted by the length and uniformity of nocturnal vigils.
1836 J. H. Newman Parochial Serm. (ed. 2) III. xxi. 338 These holy days..were commonly ushered in by a Vigil or religious watching.
1840 T. B. Macaulay Ranke's Hist. in Ess. ⁋22 Thence he wandered back to the farthest West, and astonished..the schools of France by his penances and vigils.
1896 H. B. Swete Church Services 29 The solemnity of the Easter vigil was deepened by a tradition that the Second Coming of the Lord would surprise the world on some Easter Eve.
c. In the phrase to keep (a) vigil or vigils. Also transferred. (Cf. 4b.)
ΘΚΠ
society > faith > worship > sacrament > (extreme) unction > vigil > keep vigil [verb (intransitive)]
watch971
wakec1000
to keep (a) vigil or vigils1555
1555 W. Waterman tr. J. Boemus Fardle of Facions ii. xii. 296 The night afore euery ordenary holidaie or feastefull daie, the whole clergie, and the people, ware bounde to kiepe Vigill in euery churche.
1616 in Publ. Catholic Rec. Soc. (1906) 3 40 They..expose the Blessed Sacrament, institute supplications & keep a vigil throughout the whole night in prayer before the same.
1695 M. Prior Ode to King i At Mary's Tomb, (sad, sacred Place!) The Virtues shall their Vigils keep.
1714 A. Pope Chaucer's Wife of Bath in R. Steele Poet. Misc. 18 Visits to ev'ry Church we daily paid,..The Stations duly, and the Vigils kept.
1717 A. Pope Eloisa to Abelard in Wks. 418 Shrines! where their vigils pale-ey'd virgins keep.
1803 R. Heber Palestine 19 Ye faithful few,..Who round the Saviour's cross your sorrows shed, Not for his sake your tearful vigils keep.
1819 W. Irving Rip Van Winkle in Sketch Bk. i. 90 Hendrick Hudson, the first discoverer of the river and country, kept a kind of vigil there.
1884 W. E. Addis & T. Arnold Catholic Dict. 843 St. Charles forbade the keeping of any vigil except that before Christmas.
d. plural. Prayers said or sung at a nocturnal service, spec. for the dead.Sometimes applied to the Office for the Dead: cf. French vigiles des morts, and medieval Latin vigiliæ.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > death > obsequies > religious rites > [noun] > vigils
vigils1484
death watcha1676
1484 W. Caxton tr. G. de la Tour-Landry Bk. Knight of Tower (1971) iv. 16 And she sayd vygylles for the dede men.
1671 J. Milton Paradise Regain'd i. 182 They in Heav'n their Odes and Vigils tun'd. View more context for this quotation
1679 tr. Trag. Hist. Jetzer 5 If they would yet further sing four Vigils for his Soul.
1834 K. H. Digby Mores Catholici V. iii. 84 I have seen the sublime Cathedral of Amiens on the night of All-hallows, when the vigils of the dead were sung there.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > death > obsequies > [noun] > vigil or wake
head-wardOE
watcha1325
vigilc1374
lyke-wakec1405
wake1412
latewake1667
waking1823
c1374 G. Chaucer Troilus & Criseyde v. 305 Of the fyr and flaumbe funeral..And of the feste and pleyes palestral At my vigile, I pray thee take good hede That al be wel.
1606 P. Holland tr. Suetonius Hist. Twelve Caesars 234 Upon the top of the Apennine Hill, hee celebrated a sacrifice, with a Vigil [margin. Or wake] all night long.
a. One or other of the four watches into which the Romans divided the night. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > day and night > night > [noun] > watch or period into which night was divided
watchc1000
night watchOE
quarterc1330
vigilc1380
wakingc1384
quarter-nightc1390
morning watch1535
c1380 J. Wyclif Sel. Wks. II. 44 Aboute þe fourþe vigile of þe nyȝt cam Crist to hem, walking on þe water.
1533 J. Bellenden tr. Livy Hist. Rome (1903) II. 65 At þe fourte vigill he rasit his baner.
c1540 J. Bellenden tr. H. Boece Hyst. & Cron. Scotl. vii. vi. f. 84v/1 The Romanis..at the thrid vigill maid thaym reddy to battall.
1656 T. Blount Glossographia (at cited word) The first Vigil began at six of the clock in the Evening, and continued till nine.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > watching or keeping guard > [noun] > one who watches or keeps guard > post or place of
stand1392
guardc1500
vigil1533
watching-place1847
watch room1850
watch-post1852
1533 J. Bellenden tr. Livy Hist. Rome (1901) I. 284 The romanis..be wilfull eruptiouns fra þare statiouns and vigilis [v.r. wigelis], effrayit þe equis.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > by age or cycles > [noun] > time of opening or closing of petals or leaves
vigil1783
horologe of Flora1789
1783 Encycl. Brit. X. 8716/1 Vigils of Plants,..the precise time of the day in which the flowers of different plants open, expand, and shut.
1802 R. Hall Elem. Bot. 196.
4. in extended use.1817 Ld. Byron Manfred i. i. 6 In my heart There is a vigil, and these eyes but close To look within.1843 J. Martineau Endeavours Christian Life I. xv. 228 The vigils of eternal Providence.
a. An occasion or period of keeping awake for some special reason or purpose; a watch kept during the natural time for sleep.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > state of being awake > [noun] > period of staying awake for specific purpose
vigil1713
1713 J. Addison in Guardian 29 July 2/1 There is nothing that wears out a fine Face like the Vigils of the Card-Table.
1715 A. Pope Temple of Fame 28 With Studies pale, with Midnight Vigils blind.
1781 W. Cowper Retirem. 260 Soft airs, nocturnal vigils, and day dreams..Conspire against thy peace.
1817 Ld. Byron Manfred iii. iii. 2 He hath pursued long vigils in this tower.
1819 Ld. Byron Mazeppa x. 421 The patient search and vigil long Of him who treasures up a wrong.
a1859 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. (1861) V. 139 His delicate frame worn out by the labours and vigils of many months.
1879 J. Beerbohm Wanderings in Patagonia 23 I confess I should have liked some companion to enliven my weary vigil.
b. In the phrase to keep a vigil or vigils. (Cf. 1c.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > state of being awake > be or remain awake [verb (intransitive)] > intentionally > specific keep a vigil
watch971
to keep a vigil or vigils1694
vigil1898
1694 T. Ken Morning & Evening-Hymn in New-Year's Gift 114 You my blest Guardians, whilst I sleep, Close to my Bed your Vigils keep.
1728 A. Pope Dunciad i. 81 But pensive poets painful vigils keep; Sleepless themselves, to give their readers sleep.
a1771 T. Gray Ess. I in W. Mason Mem. Life & Writings (1775) 195 There industry and gain their vigils keep.
1845 H. B. Hirst Coming of Mammoth 98 Lies some quaintly sculptured God, O'er the scene no vigil keeping.
1850 ‘S. Yendys’ Roman i. 2 I steal forth to keep my twilight vigil.
1856 Househ. Words Extra Christmas No., 6 Dec. 21/2 Bid thy Angels..Round my bed their vigil keep.
c. Without article: Watching, watch.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > vigilance > keeping watch > [noun]
watchc888
watching1479
vigilation1598
outlook1815
vigil1816
vigil-keeping1897
watch-keeping1946
1816 Ld. Byron Siege of Corinth xiii. 21 While he alone, where thousands pass'd A night of sleep,..In sickly vigil wander'd on.
1853 E. K. Kane U.S. Grinnell Exped. (1856) xxiv. 195 Many miles to the south, Captain Back passed a memorable term of vigil and exposure.
1856 C. Merivale Hist. Romans under Empire IV. xli. 569 The abiding sense of moral obligation, which should hold sleepless vigil round the desk of the historian.
1892 C. Taylor Witness of Hermas 35 Hermas and the twelve virgins keep vigil by the tower.
5. A wakefulness, or period of this, due to inability to sleep. Somewhat rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > state of being awake > [noun] > period of
wake1620
vigil1747
1747 G. Berkeley Tar-water in Plague in Wks. (1871) III. 481 In the plague are observed..drowsiness, anxiety, vigils, sinking of spirits.
1802 S. T. Coleridge Dejection in Morning Post 4 Oct. 'Tis midnight, and small thoughts have I of sleep: Full seldom may my friend such vigils keep!
1822 P. B. Shelley Fragm. Unfinished Drama 74 On a wintry bough the widowed bird..Renewed the vigils of a sleepless sorrow.
Compounds
attributive and in other combinations, as vigil-keeping, vigil-rage, vigil service, vigil-wasted adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > vigilance > keeping watch > [noun]
watchc888
watching1479
vigilation1598
outlook1815
vigil1816
vigil-keeping1897
watch-keeping1946
a1822 P. B. Shelley Peter Bell III vii, in Poet. Wks. (?1840) 246/1 To wakeful frenzy's vigil rages, As opiates, were the same [pages] applied.
1846 J. Keble Lyra Innocentium 233 But who is this that comes with mantle rude And vigil-wasted air?
1896 H. B. Swete Church Services 29 Every Saturday night was marked by a vigil service.
1897 R. Kearton With Nature & Camera 330 The terrible loneliness of his vigil-keeping.
Draft additions 1993
A stationary and peaceful demonstration in support of a particular cause, often lasting several days, which is characterized by the absence of speeches or other explicit advocacy of the cause, and frequently by some suggestion of mourning.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > sorrow or grief > lamentation or expression of grief > [noun] > instance or act of lamenting
moan?c1225
mean?c1250
bimena1325
lamentation1382
queryc1400
pinec1440
tragedy1536
lamentc1592
complaint?1606
conclamation1627
quiritation1634
throb1635
pathetic1667
dismals1774
jeremiad1780
complain1820
tangi1836
Jobism1855
wail1867
rune1922
vigil1956
society > authority > lack of subjection > rebelliousness > militancy > [noun] > demonstration > types of demonstration or protest
counterprotest1595
student demonstration1856
lie-in1867
rent strike1881
hunger strike1889
march1908
protest march1914
occupation1920
lie-down1936
sit-down1936
sit-in1936
freedom march1947
vigil1956
freedom walk1957
swim-in1960
freedom ride1961
sitting in1961
sleep-out1961
fish-in1964
live-in1964
stall-in1964
sleep-in1965
Long March1967
love-in1967
talk-in1967
write-in1967
die-in1970
dirty protest1979
blanket protest1982
1956 Times 11 Apr. 8/6 When [the South African] Parliament reassembled to-day..members found 300 black-sash women lined up in the grounds of Parliament House in renewed protest against undemocratic legislation... A vigil of four black-sash members at a time will be maintained till the end of the session.
1969 Daily Tel. 29 Jan. 1/6 About 20 of the militants..ended their vigil yesterday with a 3 a.m. ‘swim-in’ in the basement pool.
1971 Win 1 Apr. 5/1 A three-day vigil from Feb. 23–26 at the New York office of Colonel Charles Ellison, Army procurement agent, focused attention on the fact.
1985 Peace News 26 July 3/1 On the day of the air fair, around 40 people took part in a vigil at the main gate, giving out leaflets to incoming cars.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1917; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
† vigiln.2
Obsolete. rare.
A watchman, custodian.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > watching or keeping guard > [noun] > keeper or guardian
warda680
warden?c1225
watchman14..
geterc1540
guarder1542
guardant1592
vigil1648
1648 R. Herrick Hesperides sig. M5 For no black-bearded Vigil from thy doore Beats with a button'd-staffe the poore.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1917; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
† vigiladj.
Obsolete. rare.
Vigilant.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > safety > protection or defence > vigilance > [adjective]
wakerc1000
watchingOE
wakingc1175
wakerlyc1400
circumspect1430
vigilant?a1500
prick-eared?1550
invigilant1570
vigil?1576
wakeful1589
eyeful1594
open-eyed1601
argus-eyed1603
watchful1603
alert1618
awake1619
vigilant1655
guardful1749
?1576 Common Condicions Prol. sig. Aii What openly by Actours deeds in place shall straight appeare: Beefore your vigill wakefull eyes.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1917; most recently modified version published online June 2021).
vigilv.
/ˈvɪdʒ(ᵻ)l/, U.S. /ˈvɪdʒᵻl/ rare.
intransitive. To keep a vigil or vigils.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > sleeping and waking > state of being awake > be or remain awake [verb (intransitive)] > intentionally > specific keep a vigil
watch971
to keep a vigil or vigils1694
vigil1898
1898 T. Hardy Wessex Poems 110 So I've claim to ask By what right you task My patience by vigiling there?
1915 G. Frankau Tid'apa vii. 40 Two days and two nights has he vigiled—the doctor dozes and blinks.
1975 J. Montague Slow Dance 57 We vigil by the dying fire, talk stilled for once.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1917; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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n.1a1250
n.21648adj.?1576
v.1898