Emily Dickinson Lexicon

VIL'LAIN, n. [Fr. vilain; It. and Sp. villano; Norm. vilaint. According to the French orthography, this word is formed from vile; but the orthography in other languages connects this word with vill, village, and this is probably the true origin.]

1. In feudal law, a villain or villein is one who holds lands by a base or servile tenure, or in villanage. Villains were of two sorts; villains regardant, that is, annexed to the manor, adscriptitii glebae; or villains in gross, that is, annexed to the person of their lord, and transferable from one to another. – Blackstone.
2. A vile wicked person; a man extremely depraved, and capable or guilty of great crimes. We call by the name of villain, the thief, the robber, the burglarian, the murderer, the incendiary, the ravisher, the seducer, the cheat, the swindler, &c. Calm thinking villains, whom no faith could fix. – Pope.