vill

1 definition found

vill - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Vill \Vill\, n. [OF. ville, vile, a village, F. ville a town,
     city. See Villa.]
     A small collection of houses; a village. "Every manor, town,
     or vill." --Sir M. Hale.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Not should e'er the crested fowl
           From thorp or vill his matins sound for me.
                                                    --Wordsworth.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: A word of various significations in English, law; as, a
           manor; a tithing; a town; a township; a parish; a part
           of a parish; a village. The original meaning of vill,
           in England, seems to have been derived from the Roman
           sense of the term villa, a single country residence or
           farm; a manor. Later, the term was applied only to a
           collection of houses more than two, and hence came to
           comprehend towns. Burrill. The statute of Exeter, 14
           Edward I., mentions entire-vills, demivills, and
           hamlets.
           [1913 Webster]